Medicine and Health

A critical analysis of “Parental views on pediatric vaccination: the impact of competing advocacy coalitions”

A critical analysis of “Parental views on pediatric vaccination: the impact of competing advocacy coalitions”

Introduction

This paper strives to critically analyze the journal article which is titled as “Parental views on pediatric vaccination: the impact of competing advocacy coalitions”. The research paper is authored by five distinct researchers, Kumanan Wilson, Meredith Barakat, Sunita Vohra, Paul Ritvo and Heather Boon. The academic article was published during the year 2008 and appeared in the Journal of Public Understanding of Science and is present in volume 17, from pages 231 to 243 (BABBIE 2011, p. 450-552).

The aim of this paper is to critically analyze the quality of research employed by the research paper in question. The critical analysis will also consider the appropriateness and relevancy of the research questions and utilized research methodologies. Additionally this assignment will consider the data presentation methods and modes of the concerned research paper (BAILIN & GRAFSTEIN 2010, p. 34-98).

Moreover the paper will also consider the following variables, such as the synchronization of the research question with the research methodologies, as well as the appropriateness of the hypothesis and/or research questions. Other variables which will be critically analyzed is the amount of context and usefulness of previous research; the quality of data analysis, results, interpretation; and summary of results and any new knowledge and/or modification of theory. Lastly this paper will assess the quality of references, i.e. whether the quoted references are outdated or not (BICKMAN & ROG 2009, p. 520-661).

Background

The research paper discusses the advent of a growing debate or discussion on the pediatric vaccination policy: with one side favouring the current vaccination policies, while the opposing side protesting and expressing concern on the vaccination policies (CRESWELL 2008, p. 450-552).

Last but not the least, the research paper analyses the degree of influence of advocacy coalitions on parents, as well as on the formulation and implementing of health policies, with special reference to the Canadian context.

Methodology

It is important to analyze the hypothesis or research question of the academic paper. The paper strives to analyze the views and perspective of parents who are negatively affected by the advocacy coalitions. For this purpose the researchers based their efforts towards attaining a qualitative perspective. For facilitating the research methodologies, the researchers utilize previous qualitative studies that focus on the views of families which are not provided with complete vaccination and the presence of significant barriers. The research paper incorporates the previously presented concerns, such as a general distrust in public health and issues related to access, potential harm, and possible lack of benefit into the research questions.

In order to analyze the research methodologies being employed in the research paper which is titled as “Parental views on pediatric vaccination: the impact of competing advocacy coalitions”, it is important to analyze the nature of the method utilized. The research employed four focus groups, consisting of parents, both fathers and mothers, particularly those families which were either fully vaccinated ...