Case Study Undergraduate 1,171 words

Vaccine Refusal: Applying an Ethical Decision-Making Model

~6 min read

Abstract

This paper examines a case study in which a college-educated couple refuses to vaccinate their newborn child despite their pediatrician's efforts to persuade them otherwise. Applying a three-stage ethical decision-making model — moral awareness, moral judgment, and ethical behavior — the paper identifies the key stakeholders affected by the dilemma, analyzes the contributing factors behind the parents' refusal, evaluates the effectiveness of the communication approaches used, and proposes a multidisciplinary strategy to help change the parents' minds. Peer-reviewed research on vaccine efficacy and the influence of religious and cultural factors on vaccination decisions is incorporated throughout the analysis.

Key Takeaways

Case Study Summary: Introduces the vaccine refusal dilemma and paper purpose
Stakeholders Involved in the Ethical Dilemma: Identifies newborn, parents, clinicians, and public
Applying the Ethical Decision-Making Model: Three-stage model applied to the case
Contributing Factors and Peer-Reviewed Research: Parental fears, autism myths, and vaccine efficacy evidence
Evaluating Communication and Professional Approaches: Critiques pediatrician's communication gaps and missed steps
Proposed Solution: Multidisciplinary strategy to change parents' minds
Conclusion: Balancing parental rights with public health obligations

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What makes this paper effective

Clearly maps a real clinical scenario onto a structured three-stage ethical decision-making model, giving the analysis a logical and replicable framework.
Balances respect for parental autonomy with advocacy for public health, avoiding a one-sided argument and acknowledging the legal and emotional complexity of the dilemma.
Incorporates peer-reviewed sources (Odone et al., 2015; Rafi et al., 2021) to ground the discussion in evidence rather than relying solely on moral assertion.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper demonstrates applied ethical analysis: rather than discussing ethics in the abstract, the student takes a named framework (the ethical decision-making model) and methodically works through each stage using details drawn directly from the case. This technique shows examiners that the student can operationalize theory in a clinical context.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens with a case summary and stakeholder identification, then moves through the ethical decision-making model stage by stage. It follows with contributing factors, peer-reviewed evidence, and a critical evaluation of the pediatrician's communication approach. The proposed solution synthesizes prior sections into a concrete multidisciplinary strategy, and the conclusion restates the core tension between parental rights and public health obligations.

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Case Study Summary

In the case study "To Vaccinate or Not Vaccinate," a young, college-educated couple — Jenna and Chris — are adamant that they do not want their newborn child vaccinated, for what they regard as highly valid reasons. Despite the best efforts of their pediatrician to convince them otherwise, the couple maintains that they have reviewed the scientific evidence as well as reports from other parents, and that their cost-benefit analysis convinced them that vaccination was not in their child's best interests. The purpose of this paper is to apply the three components of an ethical decision-making model to this dilemma, together with a proposed solution aimed at ultimately resulting in the baby being vaccinated.

Stakeholders Involved in the Ethical Dilemma

First and foremost, the newborn is the principal stakeholder in this ethical dilemma, with a lifetime ahead that will be fundamentally affected one way or another depending on the outcome of any intervention to persuade the parents. Following closely behind the newborn are the parents themselves, who also have a lifetime investment in the wellbeing of their child. Next on the list of stakeholders are the clinicians confronted with this ethical dilemma, and finally the general American public, referred to abstractly as "the herd."

Applying the Ethical Decision-Making Model

Moral awareness: The first stage of the ethical decision-making model involves recognizing that an ethical dilemma exists. In this case, the ethical dilemma is the refusal of the parents to have their newborn vaccinated based on what appears to be specious reasoning.

Moral judgment: The next stage concerns making a determination as to what courses of action are right or wrong. This is clearly a far more challenging stage than simply recognizing the existence of an ethical dilemma. Determining the optimal decision in this case is further complicated by the need to respect the parents' autonomy and their decision not to vaccinate their child.

Ethical behavior: The final stage of the ethical decision-making model involves taking positive steps to achieve the desired ethical outcome. In this case, that means attempting to change the parents' minds with respect to having their newborn vaccinated, as recommended by the medical and scientific communities.

3 locked sections · 545 words

Contributing Factors and Peer-Reviewed Research220 words

Although the case study does not specify, it appears that the infant is this couple's first child. Statistically, this child is therefore likely to be the only one…

Evaluating Communication and Professional Approaches170 words

The pediatrician took special care to communicate the legitimate reasons supporting newborn vaccination, including the demonstrated safety and efficacy of vaccines, the multiple ways in which vaccines are analyzed, the fact that vaccinations are typically required for school admission, and the need to promote herd immunity in the general population. However, she did not emphasize the lifelong protections that vaccinations provide,…

Proposed Solution155 words

As noted above, both parents are college-educated and, having attended school for much of their lives, are themselves presumably vaccinated. They should be firmly reminded by a multidisciplinary healthcare team that…

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Conclusion

Parents' rights to raise their children as they see fit are widely recognized in the United States, and efforts to subvert their will are not only difficult but frequently illegal. Nevertheless, the case study concerning these parents and their newborn makes clear that every possible effort must be made to protect the lives of newborns and the larger American population through universal vaccination. Although the ultimate decision concerning whether to vaccinate belongs exclusively to the parents, the case study also demonstrates that there were additional steps the pediatrician could have taken to help persuade them that vaccinating their child is the right course of action.

References

Odone, A. et al. (2015, January). Effectiveness of interventions that apply new media to improve vaccine uptake and vaccine coverage. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 11(1), 72–82.

Rafi, M., Khan, A., Ahmad, K., & Khan, A. (2021). How religious and cultural doctrines affect child vaccination: An analysis of parents' understanding of child vaccination. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 21(4), 307–318.

To Vaccinate or Not Vaccinate. (n.d.). [University]. Retrieved from

Key Concepts in This Paper

Vaccine Refusal Parental Autonomy Ethical Decision-Making Herd Immunity Moral Awareness Multidisciplinary Care Vaccine Hesitancy Child Health Healthcare Ethics Moral Judgment