How To Educate Others on the Importance of Immunization
Ensuring that public health is protected and maintained is achieved through immunization education.Explaining the basics of the process is how to educate individuals about the importance of immunization.Explain to people what immunizations are and how they can keep them healthy.Videos, posters, and pamphlets can be used to educate people about the consequences of not getting immunizations.If you don't have the right information on hand, invite questions and direct people to outside sources.
Step 1: What is immunization?
People need to understand what a vaccine is and how it works before they agree to get one.There are three related terms: vaccine, vaccination, and immunization.A vaccine is a medical product that protects against certain diseases.Dead or weakened disease-causing agents are used to create vaccines.The process of receiving a vaccine.The immunization process will allow your body to identify the diseases.In order to fight a disease, the body learns to use its immune system.Natural immunization can happen without a vaccine if a person is exposed to a disease and is able to recover.A person can't contract a disease if they are immunized against it.
Step 2: Illustrate that immunizations are safe.
The belief that vaccines can lead to negative outcomes is one of the reasons for the anxiety and confusion surrounding vaccination.Assure people that vaccines have been shown to be safe in many trials and studies.Everyone who gets a vaccine is required to receive a Vaccine Information Statement about the benefits and risks of each vaccine.Let people know that they can use these statements to make an informed decision.The Office of Special Masters has aVaccine Injury Court that can be used to establish that vaccines are unsafe.You should calmly explain that no medical procedure is ever completely safe, and that the court exists to adjudicate rare cases where vaccines result in some harm.
Step 3: It's time to debunk the autism myth.
There are many studies that show that vaccines don't cause autism.You could cite the Institute of Medicine report that rejected any correlation between the two, or the Center for Disease Control study that showed vaccines don't cause the disease.The studies are available online at http://www.jpeds.com.Andrew Wakefield, a British doctor, had a link between the two diseases.
Step 4: The consequences of not getting immunized should be emphasized.
Children with weak immune systems are at risk of developing illnesses that could be prevented by vaccines.These diseases could lead to long-term illness, disability, or death.Use the vaccine's importance to show the consequences of not getting it.Most people get the human immunodeficiency virus at some point in their lives.The cancer of the cervix, anus, vulva, vagina, and throat can be caused by the human immunodeficiency virus.Women are more at risk for these cancers without this vaccine.Young men are starting to get the vaccine to limit the spread of the disease and the sequelae that follow.
Step 5: Explain that immunizations make your community better.
Vaccines don't just protect you, they protect others as well.The vaccine prevents you from spreading the illness to others.It's important to protect people who are at higher risk of illnesses, including babies and children who haven't had all of their vaccinations yet, elderly people, or those who have compromised immune systems.The likelihood of an epidemic increases if many people don't have a vaccine.It will be easier for a disease to spread if more people are walking around without immunity.
Step 6: Vaccines can eradicate diseases.
The vaccine will stop the spread of the disease if enough people get it.This has happened with other diseases.A major component of the World Health Organization's eradication program was the vaccine against the disease.In 1980, WHO declared that the disease was over.
Step 7: You can use pamphlets.
Handing out pamphlets is a great way to spread the word about the importance of vaccines.If you don't have the time or authority to convince someone to see the importance of immunizations, you might not be familiar with the most relevant facts.Handing someone a pamphlet saves time, allows people to take in information at their own pace, and verify the authenticity of what you're saying by looking at the sources cited within the pamphlet.If you are a doctor or public health official, you could make pamphlets available for people to take in the front office or lobby of your facility.In order to help educate your friend about the importance of immunizations, you could get pamphlets.
Step 8: Posters can be used.
Increased size of the images on posters can lend them greater impact than pamphlets.Posters with facts and images about the importance of vaccination can be hung in the lobby or waiting room of a doctor or public health official.
Step 9: Show videos.
Video can be used as a powerful educational tool for people who process audiovisual information more efficiently than written information.There are many videos that can be watched for free or for a fee.There are many videos on the website of the Immunization Action Coalition.There are many videos about preteen and teen vaccinations at the Center for Disease Control.The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has several affordable DVDs for order online.
Step 10: Provide coloring books.
There are coloring books available to help children understand the basics of vaccinations.There are coloring books and other resources for children that can be printed.The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has a coloring book available for download and printing.
Step 11: There is an article about the importance of vaccines.
Popular articles in newspapers, magazines and online can reach more people than public service announcements and statements issued by medical organizations.Write a thoughtful, accurate article about your experience with immunization and how it helped you or your family demonstrate the importance of immunizations.Discuss the possibility of it being published with your local newspaper.You could self-publish on your social media page if your article is not selected for publication.If you don't have time to write a full-length article, you can still educate people about the importance of immunizations by writing a letter to your editor.
Step 12: Provide information.
Information should be tailored to the individual.Parents of teens should receive the same information as parents of infants.Information should be specific to certain diseases.If someone is considering a vaccine, do not give them information about shingles.
Step 13: Encourage people to ask questions.
If you have accurate and scientifically verified information, you should be able to answer questions.People might have questions about what vaccines they need, when and how they are made, and what the manufacturing process behind vaccines is.If you can't answer a question, be honest and admit that you do not know.You should tell the person that you'll find out and get back to them, or direct them to a medical professional that can answer their question.
Step 14: Follow-up materials should be provided.
If you want people to take you at your word, you should always be redirecting them to other sources of information.The American Association of Family Physicians is one of many agencies and organizations that provide accurate information about the importance of immunization.They can be found at http://www.aafp.org/patient-care/public-health/immunizations/schedules.html.The Department of Health and Human Services runs Vaccines.gov, a website that provides information on vaccines and when to get them.The Immunization Action Coalition is dedicated to improving public health through education on the importance of immunizations.You can check them out online.
Step 15: There are limits to education.
People who are suspicious about immunizations can be pushed to more extreme positions if there is more information or education that debunks anti-vaccination myths.Don't blame yourself if you fail to change the minds of some people who are immune to education.Know when to stop fighting.