Global Healthcare Issue Description: United States ✓ Solved

Global Healthcare Issue Description. Country: United States.

Global Healthcare Issue Description. Country: United States. Describe the policy in each country related to the identified healthcare issue. What are the strengths of this policy? What are the weaknesses of this policy? Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the specified global health issue; provide specific examples. How has each country's government addressed cost, quality, and access to the selected global health issue? How has the identified health policy impacted the health of the global population; provide specific examples. Describe the potential impact of the identified health policy on the role of nurses in each country. Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries.

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

This paper analyzes the United States' policy response to the global health issue of COVID-19 vaccination and contrasts U.S. approaches with broader international responses (treated here as “other countries,” especially low- and middle-income countries). The analysis addresses policy description, strengths and weaknesses, the influence of social determinants of health (SDOH), governmental actions on cost, quality and access, the global impact of the policy, effects on nursing roles, and impacts on local healthcare organizations and policies (CDC, 2021; WHO, 2022).

Policy Description

In the United States, COVID-19 vaccine policy combined federal initiatives (Operation Warp Speed, Emergency Use Authorizations), CDC guidance for prioritization and distribution, state-level mandates and incentive programs, and public-private partnerships for supply and logistics (HHS, 2020; CDC, 2021). Globally, policy approaches varied: high-income countries used national procurement and booster programs, while many low- and middle-income countries relied on COVAX and bilateral donations (Gavi/COVAX, 2021; WHO, 2022).

Strengths and Weaknesses of the U.S. Policy

Strengths: rapid vaccine development and regulatory flexibility shortened timelines and enabled mass vaccination; robust cold-chain and distribution infrastructure in many regions enabled high initial coverage; significant federal funding reduced direct consumer cost at point of service (HHS, 2020; CDC, 2021). Weaknesses: uneven state policies produced geographic disparities; politicization reduced public confidence in some communities; supply and distribution initially favored higher-income and urban populations; marginalized groups experienced lower uptake and higher hesitancy (KFF, 2021; The Lancet, 2021).

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Impact

SDOH such as income, education, housing, transportation, and race/ethnicity directly influenced vaccine access and uptake. For example, low-income neighborhoods often had fewer vaccination sites and limited flexible work hours, reducing access (NAM, 2020). Language barriers and historical distrust among minority groups lowered uptake in specific populations (KFF, 2021). Globally, SDOH in LMICs—limited healthcare infrastructure, rural remoteness, and vaccine cold-chain gaps—constrained equitable distribution and uptake (WHO, 2022).

Government Actions on Cost, Quality, and Access

Cost: In the U.S., federal purchases and policies made vaccines free at the point of care; however, associated costs (transportation, time off work, administration fees in some settings) persisted (HHS, 2020). Quality: the FDA and CDC provided robust safety monitoring through VAERS and active surveillance to ensure quality and maintain public trust (CDC, 2021). Access: federal allocation frameworks and mass vaccination sites improved supply but local disparities remained; mobile clinics and federally funded community programs attempted to reach underserved groups (KFF, 2021).

Impact on Global Health

U.S. vaccine policies had mixed global impacts. Rapid vaccine development accelerated global availability of safe vaccines and technical know-how (HHS, 2020). However, early bilateral procurement by wealthy nations depleted initial global supplies and contributed to inequities, delaying vaccination in many LMICs and increasing the risk of viral variants (Gavi/COVAX, 2021; The Lancet, 2021). U.S. donations and support for COVAX helped later improve global coverage but could not fully erase early disparities (WHO, 2022).

Impact on the Role of Nurses

Nurses experienced expanded clinical and public health responsibilities. In the U.S., nurses led vaccination clinics, education campaigns, cold-chain management, adverse-event monitoring, and outreach to hesitant communities; scope-of-practice expansions in some states allowed nurses to vaccinate independently and take on triage and telehealth roles (Buerhaus et al., 2020). Globally, nurses in LMICs often provided frontline delivery under resource constraints, requiring multifaceted roles that combined clinical, logistical, and community engagement tasks (WHO, 2022). These changes emphasize the need for enhanced training, mental health support, and workforce planning (Buerhaus et al., 2020).

How Global Health Issues Impact Local Healthcare Organizations and Policies

U.S. local healthcare organizations adapted by reallocating staff to vaccination duties, establishing mass clinics, implementing appointment and data systems, and creating community partnerships to reach vulnerable populations (CDC, 2021). Policies were updated rapidly to reflect supply changes, emergency authorizations, and booster recommendations. In LMICs, local organizations faced chronic shortages, requiring innovative strategies (mobile delivery, task-shifting to community health workers) and reliance on international aid (Gavi/COVAX, 2021). Both contexts saw accelerated digital health adoption and data-sharing policies (OECD, 2022).

Recommendations

To address weaknesses and SDOH-related gaps, policy recommendations include: targeted funding for community-based vaccination sites in underserved areas; paid leave policies to reduce access barriers; culturally tailored communication and partnership with trusted community leaders to reduce hesitancy; investments in global manufacturing capacity and equitable procurement mechanisms to prevent future supply inequities; and sustained support for nursing workforce training and mental health resources (NAM, 2020; The Lancet, 2021).

Conclusion

The U.S. COVID-19 vaccination policy achieved notable successes in rapid vaccine development and large-scale immunization, but structural and SDOH-driven gaps limited equitable access domestically and contributed to global disparities. Government actions on cost and quality were robust in many ways, yet access remained uneven. Nurses played critical expanded roles, highlighting the need for workforce investment. Addressing future global health threats will require policies that integrate equity, strengthen local health systems, and coordinate global procurement and distribution mechanisms (WHO, 2022; Gavi/COVAX, 2021).

References

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2021. COVID-19 Vaccination. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2020. Operation Warp Speed and COVID-19 Vaccine Development. https://www.hhs.gov
  • World Health Organization (WHO). 2022. Strategic Preparedness, Readiness and Response Plan for COVID-19. https://www.who.int
  • Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance / COVAX. 2021. COVAX Facility: Equitable Access to COVID-19 Vaccines. https://www.gavi.org
  • Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). 2021. COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Public Attitudes and Access. https://www.kff.org
  • The Lancet. 2021. Vaccine equity and the COVID-19 pandemic: policy and ethical considerations. Lancet 2021;397(10282):2029–2032.
  • National Academy of Medicine (NAM). 2020. Framework for Addressing Social Determinants of Health in the COVID-19 Response. https://nam.edu
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2022. Health Policy Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://www.oecd.org
  • Buerhaus PI, Auerbach DI, Staiger DO. 2020. The Implications of an Aging Registered Nurse Workforce. New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.nejm.org
  • Health Affairs. 2021. Global Lessons from COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: Equity, Logistics, and Policy. https://www.healthaffairs.org

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