Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to:
1. Identify factors affecting parental vaccine risk perception,
2. Recognize the increasing importance of vaccine risk communication within the U.S. immunization program, and
3. Describe the current state of vaccine risk communication in the U.S. while identifying potential opportunities for growth and improvement in this area.


Background:
Vaccines have been tremendously successful in preventing many childhood diseases. However, this success has created new challenges: parents are no longer familiar with vaccine-preventable diseases and as a result fear has shifted from diseases to vaccines. In this modern era of vaccination, vaccine risk communication plays an increasingly important role in immunization programs. A 1997 Institute of Medicine Risk Communication and Vaccination workshop concluded that: “Although health risk communication has been an active research area for several decades, the science and practice of vaccine risk communication are not yet well developed”.

Setting:
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Population:
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Project Description:
This presentation examines factors affecting parental vaccine risk perception, reviews the maturation of vaccine risk communication in the United States since the 1997 IOM workshop, and summarizes current knowledge on this topic. Future vaccine risk communication opportunities and areas that require additional study are also reviewed.

Results/Lessons Learned:
There is a growing body of literature examining parental vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. These studies indicate that many parents have concerns regarding vaccine safety, hold misconceptions regarding vaccines, and would benefit from improved vaccine risk communication. The scientific literature includes few vaccine risk communication strategies with little evaluation. Yet, the CDC, state health departments, and independent organizations have developed and implemented a variety of risk communication strategies. Evidence indicates the need for tailored, balanced vaccine risk communication, and that the prenatal period may offer an opportunity to deliver these messages.