Although vaccination is largely a public health issue, it has significant social and economic implications. Understanding these implications requires an individual to appreciate the relationship between social and economic injustice. Social injustice and economic injustice can not only coexist but also occur in a continuum. On the one hand, social injustice is a situation where inequality prevails in society as a result of unjust policies and prejudices. On the other hand, economic injustice occurs where there is an unfair or unequal distribution of resources, income, and opportunity among different groups. Economic injustice tends to occur along the lines created by social injustice. As such, this means that economic injustice occurs prevalently among individuals who have traditionally experienced social injustice (Albertini, 2013). Inequitable distribution of vaccines in society is an example of a social justice. The overpricing of vaccine services is an economic injustice. As such, this forms a barrier to health access thereby further deepening social justice within the community.
The contemporary culture perpetuates discrimination in several ways. Contemporary culture is broadly defined as the culture of a specific people at a given time. Although different societies have remained hell-bent on expressing their cultures, the realities of globalization have meant that people continue to integrate (Baldwin, 2017). Many religions today have advised their followers to boycott some vaccination. For example, the Catholic Church was adamant with polio vaccine and advised its members against taking it. As such, this results in disparities in health outcomes, an example of discrimination.
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Emphasis should be placed on equality, equity, and fair distribution of resources and opportunities (Baldwin, 2017). As regards the vaccines, social policies should focus on reducing the prices of vaccines and ensuring their availability in all care facilities. Proper vaccine education should be given to society members, including the ethical and legal implications.
References
Albertini, M. (2013). The relation between social class and economic inequality: A strengthening or weakening nexus? Evidence from the last three decades of inequality in Italy. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 33, 27-39.
Baldwin, J. (2017). Culture, prejudice, racism, and discrimination. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication.
