Immunizations assignment This is a scientific paper meant to provide an opportunity to review a relevant debate with real world materials (e.g., youtube, PubMed). Please demonstrate your ability to

Immunizations assignment

This is a scientific paper meant to provide an opportunity to review a relevant debate with real world materials (e.g., youtube, PubMed). Please demonstrate your ability to critically evaluation arguments for scientific rigor based on what you learned in the Research Methods sections of the class. Please also avoid judgmental statements (e.g., “parents who do/don’t vaccinate are idiots”) because everyone is ultimately trying to do what they think is best for their families.

Part I- The Research

1. Watch these three videos:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch? feature=iv&v=i6AJUWFXrBI& annotation_id=annotation_ 318564

• http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=o9P80I96X4c&feature=iv& annotation_id=annotation_ 126705

• http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=tyaVxYYVfQE

1. Read http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/11/health/flu-miscarriage-death/

3. Read http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/bananas-are-chemicals-too/

5. You will likely need to rewatch the Spector Chapter 2 research methods video.

Part II- Write up of vaccine research

Write 1500-2000 words answering the following questions using a numbered format, using (ie.e., bold, define, and cite) key terms from the research methods section of the book chapters and lectures. Please review the rubric before submitting.

1. What evidence is there that vaccines are not linked to autism? Cite and bold key terms such as meta-analysis.

   1. What happened before and after thimerosal was removed from US vaccines?

   2. When the US was using thimerosal and other countries were not, did we have higher rates of autism?

   3. Feel free to cite any other peer-reviewed, published scientific research here to support the claim.

2. What evidence is there that vaccines are linked to autism? Cite and bold terms from the Spector chapter including generalizability, correlational, and confounds.

   1. Is the Amish study good evidence? Why or why not? For example, was the sample generalizable? What were the confounds? Who conducted the study and under what conditions?

   2. Is the macaque monkey study by Hewitson good evidence? The study was retracted before it was published because of some ethics violations regarding conflicts of interest. What were they?

   3. People have concerns about the chemicals in vaccines, including formaldehyde. How much formaldehyde is in a pear versus a vaccine? Why is it a poor argument to say “the formaldehyde in pears is safer because it is not injected into your veins.” Cite the “bananas are chemicals too” article and any peer-reviewed, scientific research.

   4. Feel free to cite any other peer-reviewed, published scientific research here to support the claim.

3. What are the consequences of NOT getting vaccinated for children and expectant mothers? (Cite the CNN article here)

4. In your own words, what is herd immunity?

   1. Explain how herd immunity helps to make up for the fact that vaccines are not 100% effective.

5. The government has awarded over 1300 families settlements in vaccine court. Is this good evidence to show that vaccines are dangerous? Please explain what vaccine court is and how it is different from the normal legal system. How many vaccines have been given and how many have resulted in injury or legal awards?

6. A friend tells you that he or she will not get his children vaccinated because of the risk of autism. Based on class information, how could you respond? (I realize that in real life we would probably all mind our own business and not say anything ) In other words, please assemble the class information regarding vaccines to make an overall evaluation about their safety and efficacy from a scientific standpoint. Please check the rubric for grading guidelines.

Remember to use a numbered (not essay) format, check the rubric before submitting, and report your word count and list the key terms you cited and defined. Please remember that key terms that are already part of vernacular (e.g., smoking, obesity) do not typically count. E.g., “word count = 1645, key terms bolded/cited/defined are meta-analysis, confounds, statistical control, generalizability, antibodies, prevalence, incidence, and randomized sample”

Particularly, you will need to consider the types of treatment for stress (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness) in these assignments even though they do not directly relate to stress.