Responding to

Resistance

The Gateway Immunization CoalitionA program of the Maternal, Child and Family Health Coalition

539 N. Grand Blvd., Suite 403 St. Louis, MO 63103 Phone: (314) 289-5685 Fax: (314) 289-5681 www.stl-mcfhc.org www.startwithfour.org

What is the situation?• Immunization rates receiving media attention

St. Louis Post Dispatch (www.stltoday.com), September 17, 2010: “Missouri last in toddler vaccines”

KMOV.com, November 16, 2010:“Fewer plan to get the flu shot this year”

St. Louis Public Radio (90.7 KWMU), October 19, 2010:“Whooping cough suspected in St. Louis Co district”

Vaccine preventable disease outbreaks

CDC Flu View: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/WeeklyFluActivityMap.htm

Local

What are the concerns?• Are vaccines safe?• Why these ingredients: Aluminum, Thimerosal? • Do immunizations cause autism?• Too many vaccines? Too many vaccines at once?• Why start so early?• What about natural immunity? • Haven’t we gotten rid of these diseases? • Why so many changes? Who makes the

recommendations? • Distrust

How do parents make vaccine decisions?

• Believers • Relaxed – less knowledgeable but

trust health care provider• Cautious – need a lot of information• Unconvinced

Responding to Resistance• National Immunization Conference April 2010

Communicating with unsure parents (Alison Springer, Autism Science Foundation):CASE FrameworkCorroborate – Acknowledge parent’s concerns and find some point on which you can agreeAbout me – Describe what you have done to build your knowledge base and expertiseScience – Describe what science saysExplain/Advise – Give advice to patient, based on science

Case studies

“I want what is best for my child and my patients and that’s why I recommend

vaccinating.”

Immunization PR• AMC refuses to air anti-vaccine ads in movie

theaters over Thanksgiving holiday• National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec 5-11)• Keri Russell, Julie Bowen, Amanda Peet• Hallmark Cards receives award from Mid-

America Immunization Coalition • Immunization Alliance• You and me

Resources for Health Professionals• Immunization Action Coalition• ANA & ECBT “Bringing Immunity to Every

Community” e-learning tool for continuing education credithttp://www.anaimmunize.org/webcast

• University of Albany webinar Dec 9: “Making the CASE for Vaccine Safety: A new model for communicating with parents” http://www.albany.edu/sph/coned/phl/case.htm

Resources for consumers • Adultvaccination.org (NFID)• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Vaccine

Education Center• Every Child by Two• American Academy of Pediatrics• California Immunization Coalition• vaccines for teens (NBA & WNBA/SAM & Sanofi)• http://twitter.com/SCCHealth/status/18355025197• CDC