“How An Effective Communication Strategy Is Helping to Increase Vaccination Uptake Among the Latino Population In the US.”

Background:  Statistics indicate that 67% of Latinos six months and older are not vaccinated against the influenza; only 50% of Latinos 65 years and older are, and 60% of the Latino children have not received the influenza vaccine (MMWR, 2010).

Program background: In order to create awareness and to increase the vaccination uptake among Latinos in the United States and after conducting research, the National Influenza Vaccination Disparities Partnership (NIVDP) was crafted for CDC by HMA Associates.  The NIVDP was created to assist CDC in engaging multi sector alliances in thirty specific target markets.  The Partnership has broaden Latino community involvement by having grassroots organizations; community clinics; pharmacies and health departments; faith-based organizations; Latin American Consulates; media outlets; health organizations and job training centers among others to organize community flu vaccination clinics, disseminate culturally and linguistically competent health communication marketing materials, organize educational events, and to identify health champions to share their stories with the community. 

Evaluation Methods and Results: This partnership has proven to be highly successful.  Based on preliminary data, from October 2010 – March 2011, there was a 30% increase in partner engagement; community outreach was completed in 15 target markets; 51 promotional events were organized; and 11,863 educational materials were distributed, including the award-winning fotonovela “Un Amor Perdido” (A lost love) based on a true story; 4,211 Latinos were vaccinated at 29 flu vaccination clinics; and a total of 428 media outlets participated during National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) 2011 allowing the Partnership to secure 16,241,955 media impressions through radio, print, television and online.

Conclusions:

• Partners engagement is fundamental successful for message delivery
• With flu vaccination, it is necessary to go out to the target population which are usually rural hard to reach areas
• Have culturally and linguistically competent marketing materials for dissemination
• Creating a real humanistic message based on real stories from health champions

Implications for research and/or practice:

• Replication of engagement strategies has the potential to help reduce vaccine disparities among Latinos
• Value the many sub-groups that represent the Latino community, and reach out to them with customized messages instead of a generic one