It's Their Turn! : An Educational and Awareness Initiative to Promote Adolescent Immunization in State and Local Health Departments

Background:
In recent years, new vaccines (meningococcal –MCV4–, human papillomavirus, and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis –Tdap–) have been added to the recommended immunization schedule for adolescents. In 2008, several states enacted school entry vaccination requirements for MCV4 and Tdap for young adolescents. State and local health departments (SLHDs) face a challenge in educating and communicating with their communities about adolescent immunization as well as improving immunization coverage.

Setting:
State and local health departments

Population:
Parents of 11-12 year olds, adolescents, schools, healthcare providers.

Project Description:
CDC developed the It's Their Turn! Initiative, which provides SLHDs with a diverse set of tools and materials to assist them in implementing educational and awareness campaigns promoting adolescent immunization, with a particular focus on Tdap and MCV4 vaccination. The initiative offers an array of tools from letters to multiple audiences, press releases, posters and flyers, to cutting edge online “e-health” materials such as podcasts and e-cards. It also provides mechanisms to garner public and media attention for adolescent immunization efforts. Key target audiences include parents, schools, healthcare providers, and adolescents. All materials are adaptable to each SLHD's needs, with the option of customizing with their specific messages and logos. An evaluation of an educational campaign using these tools among parents and physicians is being conducted in Arizona.

Results/Lessons Learned:
Parents often require information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent. Schools and healthcare professionals embrace concise and accurate information provided by SLHDs and will proactively share this information with parents. In Arizona, the availability of free and customizable materials facilitated the launching of an educational campaign (ongoing) by SLHDs which otherwise may not have had the personnel or funding to undertake such endeavors. Project results will vary by state but we anticipate increased awareness about adolescent immunization and uptake of recommended vaccines in the communities where the materials are used.