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COVID-19

Empowering Health Workers to Build Public Trust in Vaccination: Experience from the International Pediatric Association's Online Vaccine Trust Course

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research conducted by Dalhousie University has demonstrated the effectiveness of an online Vaccine Trust Course in building public trust in vaccination among health workers. The study, published in Vaccine, found that health workers who completed the course reported increased empathy towards caregivers, confidence while counseling, and increased vaccine acceptance amongst their patients. The course, developed by the International Pediatric Association in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was offered online in seven languages and promoted globally.

Key Takeaways:

  • The quality of interactions between health workers and caregivers is crucial in vaccine acceptance, and health workers need knowledge about best vaccine communication practices to optimize this.
  • The International Pediatric Association's online Vaccine Trust Course, which was offered online in seven languages and promoted globally, was effective in building public trust in vaccination among health workers.
  • The course had a high completion rate, with 48.3% of participants starting the course and 51.1% completing it.
  • The majority of participants were between 25-39 years old, female, and working in pediatrics, with 31% coming from India.
  • The course content was rated as excellent by 62% of completers and good by 36%.
  • Three months post-training, 61% of health workers reported increased empathy towards caregivers, confidence while counseling, and increased vaccine acceptance amongst their patients.
  • 21% of participants attributed these positive changes to the course alone.

Statistics:

  • 4,926 participants registered for the course across 137 countries.
  • 2,381 (48.3%) participants started the course.
  • 1,217 (51.1%) participants completed the course.
  • 62% of completers rated the course structure/design as excellent, and 36% rated it as good.
  • 21% of participants reported increased evidence of empathy towards caregivers, confidence while counseling, and increased vaccine acceptance.
  • 61% of participants reported increased evidence of empathy towards caregivers, confidence while counseling, and increased vaccine acceptance three months post-training.

Sources:

  • Empowering Health Workers to Build Public Trust in Vaccination: Experience from the International Pediatric Association's Online Vaccine Trust Course, 2020-2021. Vaccine, 2022;41(2):435-443.
  • Elsevier Sci Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, Oxon, England (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Vaccine - www.journals.elsevier.com/vaccine/)

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