What’s Public Health got to do with…Driving Vaccine Acceptance?

In the ongoing battle against emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, vaccination remains the cornerstone of public health interventions. As we confront new viral threats and navigate the ongoing challenges posed by existing ones, public health and healthcare professionals in the U.S. must give special consideration to the needs of older adults. This attention is vital to overcome barriers that may prevent older adults from receiving needed vaccinations and is critical because older adults are at higher risk of severe outcomes of infectious disease. For example, over 60% of COVID-19 hospital admissions and 88% of in-hospital deaths involved patients who were 65 years of age or older. But public health’s established skillsets for communications and outreach can be used to communicate with older adults who may need help to understand the importance of vaccines or how to access them.

The November AFPHS training explored how the public health and healthcare sectors can use public communications and outreach to drive vaccine acceptance and dispel hesitancy amongst older adults. The following are a few communication strategies discussed by the session’s guest speaker Rhea Farberman, TFAH’s Director of Strategic Communications and Policy Outreach:

Identify issues and concerns that older adults may have about vaccines. Fear of adverse events and distrust of the healthcare system are two possible concerns. Being unaware of where or how to access vaccines is another potential barrier.
Develop tailored communication strategies that consider the unique needs and fears of older adults. Tailored messaging will be more effective in building trust and credibility than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Engage community-based messengers who are trusted by the target audience and can amplify the impact of your communication efforts.
Highlight the tangible benefits of vaccination for older adults. Reduced risks of severe illness, hospitalization, and mortality are compelling reasons to embrace vaccination. In addition, research shows that being vaccinated to protect the health of your loved ones is a message that resonates with most people.

Here are some specific strategies for driving vaccine acceptance among older adults based on the Age-Friendly Public Health Systems 6Cs Framework.

Creating and leading compelling awareness campaigns calling attention to the importance, safety, and efficacy of vaccines for older adults.
Connecting and convening multi-sector coalitions to bring together healthcare professionals, community leaders, caregivers, and other stakeholders to address concerns regarding vaccination hesitancy.
Coordinating comprehensive community programs to facilitate vaccine access for older adults, such as by offering vaccination clinics, partnering with local healthcare providers, and implementing special outreach initiatives for rural or hard-to-reach communities of older adults, including those who need vaccines administered in their homes.
Collecting data on vaccine uptake through community health assessments to better understand the unique needs, concerns, and disparities related to vaccine acceptance among older adults.
Communicating clear and concise information on the benefits, safety, and accessibility of vaccines for older adults through use of targeted messaging, educational materials, and engagement sessions.
Complementing existing education campaigns on the importance of vaccines by developing new messaging that contains language designed for older adult audiences.

The Public Health Communications Collaborative is another source of vaccine uptake messaging materials and support. The Collaborative, founded in 2020 by Trust for America’s Health, the CDC Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation, provides communications advice and support materials on a range of public health issues including preventing and controlling disease outbreaks, encouraging vaccination, and responding to health misinformation.