- What are some of the ethical issues that you are grappling with in your research? What are some of the ways in which you are responding to these questions?
One ethical problem I am working on is the disparities between migrants and natural-born citizens receiving vaccines. Not only is this a problem in the UK, but all over Europe as well. One of the reasons for this is the issue of access. Many migrants are not made aware of vaccine opportunities because of the language that vaccine information is relayed in, leaving many migrants unaware of the opportunities for vaccination and where to be vaccinated. Many doctors are also not made aware of the rights that migrants have for receiving vaccines, which is another problem as doctors are supposed to be the best source of information for civilians regarding their health.
One way I am responding to this concern is understanding how countries have successfully dealt with the disparity and issue of access as well as looking into the theoretical ways that this concern can be addressed. One strategy that I have seen is the strategy of having “culturally competent and migrant-sensitive care” meaning inclusive services and policies and alternative access points for vaccination. I have not been able to find any research that documents this, but I look forward to seeing the successes and room for improvement on this solution for vaccine accessibility.
- As you continue your research, have you considered alternative viewpoints in your investigation? If so, how have these alternative viewpoints enriched or changed your project?
I have discovered that there have been frameworks made to address the concerns of vaccine access, which I was not aware of. Two that I now know of are the “Three C’s” for vaccine hesitancy determinants: Confidence, convenience and complacency and the “5 A’s” of vaccine concerns: Access, Affordability, Awareness, Acceptance and Activation. These two frameworks have enriched my viewpoints as I am now able to access more information and documentation through these concepts. I look forward to exploring these more and adding to the wealth of knowledge I have been able to collect.