Oral

Vaccines, once hailed as public health’s greatest triumph, have come under intense public scrutiny in recent years. Popular misconceptions and misleading information are prevalent online and in the popular press, breeding increasing suspicion and doubt among new parents. Despite numerous studies exonerating vaccines from any link to autism, as many as 1 in 4 parents still hold this belief. Recent surveys show that while most parents still follow their pediatrician’s recommendations, a majority harbor worries, wondering if they’re doing the right thing. A 2011 survey found that an estimated 1 in 10 parents are delaying vaccinations based on gut fears that multiple vaccines may be more dangerous than taking a chance on catching the disease. Public health and the medical community have been slow to recognize that abstract facts and statistics alone may not provide the emotional resonance to motivate vaccine-hesitant parents. This session will showcase best practices that use story-telling, promotion of immunization-positive social norms, web interactive campaigns, model community forums where experts interact directly with parents, and multi-media approaches that target specific audiences with culturally-appropriate and tested messages. Examples of social media, web, print, and video strategies will be presented.

Session Objectives: Identify best practices for influencing individuals’ decision-making about vaccinating themselves and their family members. Describe key elements of community-based strategies that promote vaccinations and how they can be targeted to be most effective in specific under-served or hard-to-reach populations.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)