Date post: | 22-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | allyson-morgan |
View: | 217 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Vaccine Communication Skills: How to Speak with Vaccine-
Hesitant Parents & the Media
Kris Calvin
CEO, AAP-CA
Objectives
Understand changing concerns of vaccine-hesitant families
Gain skills & best practices for effective communication with vaccine hesitant families
Become more comfortable skills engaging the media on vaccine issues.
Understand how these skills translate in the advocacy arena (example of AB 2109).
2010: Practicing Pediatricians: Top Vaccine Safety Concerns of Patients/Families
•Autism
•Thimerosal
•Aluminum
•Pain of so many shots
• Why so many shots at once/so early? Concern about
overwhelming
the immune system.
•Have not seen these diseases so do not see the value that
outweighs any risk
2012 Vaccine-”educated” parents
May be “pro-vaccine” for themselves, but object to it for infants/children
May no longer believe in a vaccine-autism connection (or at least will not say so)
Want “green” vaccines—pure, natural (no additives) Overwhelming the young immune system = #1
concern, many want alternative schedule
More 2012 Parent Concerns
General mistrust of scientific research/systems of care—funding, motives (per shot payment)
My unvaccinated baby is “healthier” than vaccinated children (rosy cheeks)
I am fine not caring about “public health”—my responsibility is MY child only
Highly influenced by non-MD providers—chiropractors, nurses, midwives/doulas
Do practicing MDs consider it important to have effective vaccine communication skills?
•Many spoke to what a huge part of practice vaccines have become.
•Numerous spoke about the importance of these skills for both general pediatricians and subspecialists.
•Importance of subspecialist supporting need for vaccines, even in cases where they do not give the vaccines themselves. •Also for many children with special health care needs, the subspecialist is the medical home.
Practicing Pediatricians: What I didn’t think I
would do or see!•Nearly all have learned to “negotiate” vaccines for some families, using slightly modified “alternate schedules” as part of routine practice. (This requires diligence, documentation and clear communication about what is acceptable and what is not. This is NOT about substituting a Sears-type schedule for science.)
•Many parents feel it is now “due diligence” to at least question one or more vaccines, even if they will readily accept them.
•MD must deal with own anger/rejection at not being trusted over vaccines.
Listen firstAsk each family/parent what, if any, are
their concerns about vaccines.
“Having a prepared spiel and spouting lots of science without knowing what someone’s specific concerns are wastes time and does
not build trust.”
•First tier: Parents who want to “exercise due diligence”.
•Second tier: One or more specific fears based on myths in the media or from friends, that if listened to and carefully responded, will set aside.
•Third tier: those who are fearful of vaccines either due to a close personal experience (a sibling whose child had autism after a vaccine, or had what they perceived as a bad adverse reaction) or who refuse vaccines as part of a larger life philosophy.
Assess depth of concern
•Doctors need to recognize that they need to come to terms with emotions of anger or disappointment in parents who listen to
celebrities or media rather than trained MDs, who feel that they know what is best for the
child. Those emotions; move beyond judgment to help the patients.
Be ready for your own negative emotions.
•Begin at the first visit letting the family know proactively their position as a
doctor in strong support of vaccines for their child. Give websites you trust about
vaccines.•Share if you vaccinate your own child/
your niece, your nephew.
Pre-empt resistance
•Focus on those diseases that are still seen and they can understand, and tell stories about children who did not get vaccines.
Use “stories” rather than theories
Other Lessons Learned Maximize benefits to their child
– not a public health discussion– vaccines provide protection– risk of disease for omitted vaccines
BOTTOM LINE:
This is not a debate, it is a conversation. It doesn’t matter if you are “right” ; it matters what they want and decide to do.
Working With the Media
Improving the Value of Medical Journalism
<Media slides courtesy of Val Ulene, LA Times health columnist>
Why Engage the Media
As a major source of medical information, the media can be particularly important in educating the general public, the medical community and policy makers.
Most news articles on medically related topics fail to discuss important issues such as evidence quality, costs, and risks versus benefits
Overcoming Barriers: What Can Doctors Do to Help
Make yourself available Provide accurate, up-to-date information
about health-related topics Be professional Tell a good story
Should I Do the Interview?
Find out what the reporter wants to know and what their attitude toward the subject might be
Get to know the media outlet Determine if you’re the right person to do the
interview Decide whether it’s worth your time and energy
Use Social Media
About a quarter (27%) of adults say they regularly or sometimes get news or news headlines through Facebook, Twitter or other social networking sites.
This rises to 38% of people younger than 30, but now spans a notable share of older Americans (12% of those 65 and older) as well.
Preparing for interviews
Bring the journalist up to speed Get yourself up to speed
Prepare and practice key message pointsReview facts and figures Identify questions (easy, hard and terrible) and
formulate responses
The Interview
Answer their questions in clear, concise, simple language
Stick to what you know Take charge Take a stance Be enthusiastic!
Avoid Getting Trapped
Stay calm and positiveDon’t pretend to know something you don’t knowCorrect inaccurate informationIf you make an error, correct yourself as soon as possibleThere’s no such thing as “off the record”
Follow-up After an Interview
Ask if you’ll have the opportunity to review and correct the piece
Make yourself available for follow-up questions
Don’t Wait for Them to Call You!
Send press releases Invite to press conferences Provide them with information kits Reach out to personal contacts Submit letters to the editors Write spec articles
Not for today--AB 2109 (PAN) PBES
REQUIRES HEALTH CARE PROVIDER SIGNATURE FOR PBE
INTENDED TO DECREASE CONVENIENCE PBES WHILE STILL PERMITTING PARENTAL CHOICE
BASED ON WASHINGTON STATE LAW SHOWING RESULTS
LOW BURDEN TO MD PRACTICES—FAX/EMAIL OK; FEW PATIENTS PER PRACTICE