Shot by Shot: Stories of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Background:  With the success of vaccines, people do not see vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) as often as past generations, but they still cause suffering and death worldwide. When people do not see the diseases, it becomes challenging to weigh vaccine risks versus benefits. Recently, people have increasingly questioned vaccines. We know that data put in the context of personal stories is more memorable and effective at influencing behavior. Stories touch us, educate us, and remind us of the value of prevention in ways that data alone cannot.

Setting:  ShotbyShot.org is an online storybank. Others can use the stories towards education efforts in their own communities.

Population:  Primary audience: people working toward disease prevention. Secondary audience: general public, healthcare providers.

Project Description:  Shot by Shot: Stories of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (ShotbyShot.org) is an online collection of stories from people who have been touched by VPDs. The project raises awareness of and humanizes VPDs, and creates a database to be used for education, training, and awareness purposes. ShotbyShot.org’s centerpiece is a Story Gallery housing 70+ diverse, personal stories arranged by disease. It is envisioned to be user-generated, like YouTube, and shared using new media. Others can use these stories for their targeted education efforts. The website contains guidance to help people use the stories and share their own stories. Disease information and outbreak data put the stories in context.

Results/Lessons Learned:  ShotbyShot.org is an award-winning, health communications website. Since its May 2010 launch, the site has had 8,700+ visits. Multiple states have featured ShotbyShot.org stories in numerous education efforts including an adult immunization website, provider education presentations, waiting room DVDs, PTA meetings, and NIIW campaign efforts. Because personal stories enhance how people understand facts and data, ShotbyShot.org has the potential to positively influence how we communicate public health messaging.