Assessment 6
Question 3
Which of the following general principles of communication should be kept in mind when informing a community group about the local vaccination programme?
Select one or more:
| A. The messages about vaccination should be kept positive at all times and any unhelpful questions should be discouraged. | |
| B. The age range in the audience should be considered, so that age-appropriate language, information and diagrams can be used. | |
| C. Decide what your key messages are, the most important information you want your audience to hear, and state the points simply. | |
| D. Avoid mentioning anything that might concern parents and stop them from giving consent for their children to be vaccinated. | |
| E. Reflect on the fears and concerns your audience may have about vaccination and ensure that you give them all the information they need in order to make informed choices. |
Answers B, C and E are correct.
Answer A
Discouraging questions will prevent you from responding to concerns of the audience. Questions should be encouraged and negative attitudes and concerns should be openly discussed.
Answer D
Trust in vaccine safety can easily be eroded if you attempt to disguise or conceal the possible adverse effects that may follow immunization. Everyone, either the person receiving a vaccine or his/her parents, deserves to know the name of the vaccine, what the vaccine is protecting against, any what adverse event can be expected from it. They should also be informed on what to do if they or their child experience an adverse event. It is up to the health care provider to communicate information in understandable terms for each individual. Ideally, this would happen in written form ahead of the time of vaccination.