Health and Disease (Extended Response)

Question 1

Between 1996 and 2004 the percentage of children given the MMR vaccine fell from 92% to 80%.

This fall was the result of a scare that persuaded some parents that their children might be harmed by the vaccine.

Discuss the effect of a fall in immunisation rate on the health of all children.

Answer 1

• MMR vaccine protects against infection by the three diseases
• many more children in 2004 than 1996 would not be immune to measles, mumps and rubella
• increased chance of catching the diseases if they come into contact with an infected person
• increased chance of suffering problems/complications or death from the disease
• increased cost of treatment of children suffering diseases and of treating lifelong complications
• reduced herd immunity
• children who could not be immunised for health reasons would have increased risk of coming into contact with an infected person

Question 2

The MMR vaccine protects against the diseases measles, mumps and rubella.

The World Health Organisation recommends a target percentage of 95% of children immunised.

Discuss the importance of this target.

Answer 2

Children who are given the MMR vaccine are made immune to measles, mumps and rubella for the rest of their lives.
This means that they will not suffer from the diseases, and will be protected against the problems that some children develop as a result of having these diseases.

Very few children are at risk of developing problems if they are given the vaccine, though these are much less than problems being caused by having the disease.

The target of 95% is linked to herd immunity, which is when the chance of a non-immunised person coming into contact with someone with the disease is so low that the disease dies out in that group.
This protects those children who cannot be immunised because they react badly to the vaccine.