KEYWORDS:
Vaccine Safety, Risk Communication, Provider Training, Funding Coalitions

BACKGROUND:
Due to the successful immunization of the current parent population, the overwhelming majority of parents have had no personal experience with vaccine-preventable diseases. This poses a challenge for health care providers and immunization advocates. Many parents have begun to seriously question the safety and efficacy of immunizing their children. This has created a situation wherein parents doubt information given to them by the very people they feel have a vested interest in immunizations. These strongly held beliefs have made it difficult for many providers and immunization advocates to successfully relay risk/benefit information to their parents and patients. More specifically, approaching parents who have questions or hold strong anti-immunization beliefs requires training that incorporates the basics of risk communication, which is not routinely taught to providers.

OBJECTIVE:
Describe the process of developing a risk communication curriculum and training manual to educate providers and immunization advocates on techniques to communicate with patients and parents in a low trust and/or high concern environment about immunizations.

METHOD:
The Risk Communication Training Program was developed through a research grant from the Ambulatory Pediatric Association. Physicians were recruited into the study and required to participate in a 4-hour CME approved Risk Communication Training Program. The training included lectures and role-plays on risk communication, vaccine safety issues, and state immunization laws.

RESULT:
The results from the providers' knowledge and communications survey will be presented along with the providers' overall assessment of the training program.

CONCLUSION:
Funding sources such as the Ambulatory Pediatric Association can serve as a vehicle for coalitions to develop needed programs for immunization providers and advocates.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Attendees will learn how to replicate the Risk Communication Skills for Vaccine Safety training program for immunization providers and advocates.