Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109271

Sarah Bauerle Bass, PhD, MPH, Department of Public Health, Temple University, 304 Vivacqua Hall, P.O. Box 2843, Philadelphia, PA 19122, 214-204-5110, sbass@temple.edu, Pamela Z. Poe, MA, Mass Media and Communication Program, Temple University, Annenberg Hall Room 6, 2020 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122-6080, Thomas Gordon, PhD, Public Health Department, Temple University, Vivacqua Hall, Room 301J, Philadelphia, PA 19122, and Sheryl Burt Ruzek, PhD, MPH, Department of Public Health, College of Health Professions, Temple University, 1700 N. Broad Street, 304 Vivacqual Hall PO Box 2843, Philadelphia, PA 19122-0843.

This paper details current rates of smallpox vaccination in the US and its relationship to state policy, guidelines and risk communication messages to affected healthcare workers. Since the development of a national smallpox vaccination policy, almost 300,000 doses of smallpox vaccine have been shipped to states for healthcare workers and emergency services personnel deemed “first responders” in the event of a smallpox threat. Less than 14% of these doses have actually been used, however, with variable vaccination rates by state and geographic region. This study compares vaccination rates and risk communication strategies in a random sample of states. Vaccination rates are constructed based on the number of vaccines shipped to each state per capita total population, the proportion of shipped vaccines actually used, and the estimated number of smallpox emergency personnel in each state. Other variables considered include mass media marketing techniques and state and local government messages, detailing each state's vaccination policy, implementation strategies and risk communication messages communicated to healthcare workers. The effect of these strategies on overall vaccination rates will be discussed along with recommendations for developing risk communication messages that may increase vaccination acceptability among healthcare workers. With the threat of smallpox as a biological weapon, it is important that emergency response teams are well equipped to respond in a potential event.

Learning Objectives:

(
• Understand the differences in smallpox vaccination rates by state and geographic region of the country. (
• Describe the different strategies for analyzing these data. (
• Analyze the social marketing strategies used by federal and selected state governments to encourage health care professionals to receive vaccination. (
• Assess the relationship these social marketing strategies have with actual state vaccination rates.

Keywords: Risk Communication, Bioterrorism

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.