2010-2011 Influenza Season: Communication Overview

Glen Nowak, PhDActing Director

Division of News and Electronic MediaCenters for Disease Control and Prevention

Key Elements of 2009 H1N1 Influenza Overall Effort

• Government purchased all the vaccine• Extensive and continued intra-Federal government

collaboration• Strong foundation in:

• Surveillance and monitoring• Prioritizing initial doses based

• Early and extensive collaboration and coordination with a wide range of partners (e.g., States, communities, manufacturers, etc.

• Concerted, targeted vaccination efforts on many fronts• Messages encompassed more than vaccination (e.g., hand

washing, staying home when sick, antiviral treatment)• Guided/adjusted by surveys and other assessments

The Foundation – Some Core Components

• Tell people what you know when you know it – and you can: 1) put it into a context and 2) tell them what to do as a result of the information.

• Audience perspective first and foremost• Acknowledge uncertainty – and what it means or

could mean (e.g., “our interim recommendations may change quickly”)

• Foreshadow possibilities / share dilemmas early• Know the intent of your messages and

communication strategies

Transitioning from Pandemic to Season Influenza

Expectations• There’s much desire to build on, extend, successes

associated with 2009 H1N1 effort (e.g., pregnant women, children);• Schools, ob/gyns will continue to engage in flu vax

• There’s much desire to address and reduce racial/ethnic disparities • Desire to do so will result in more/better efforts

• More/better efforts will have impact (quickly)

• Pandemic has fostered greater awareness and appreciation of threat posed by influenza

• If you recommend for all, demand will grow

Potential Challenges

• Maintaining/extending the interest and involvement of groups that engaged during pandemic

• Things brought, potentially created by pandemic, including:• Influenza fatigue

• Stronger belief in efficacy of non-vaccine preventive measures

• “I’m now protected” from pandemic flu

• “Why isn’t 2010 H1N1 in this year’s vaccine?”

• “Why no single dose H1N1 vaccine?”

Also. . .

• Vaccine safety concerns may be heightened (e.g., inclusion of 2009 H1N1 strain in seasonal vaccine, unfolding situation in Australia

• Need to remember that influenza and flu vaccine supply are unpredictable

• Seasonal influenza vaccination is a predominantly private sector enterprise

• Motivation for flu vaccination highly dependent on perceptions of severity of disease and strength of provider endorsement

Be prepared for. . .

• Interest in what this year’s H1N1 vaccination means for vaccination in the coming season (e.g., do I need to get another flu vaccination? Why?)

• Many believing 2009 H1N1 illness or vaccine have left them adequately protected for season ahead.

• Need to educate – especially at start of season• Intensity and duration of news media interest that

more closely resembles a usual flu season rather than that associated with a pandemic.

• Expectation of frequent/regular updates on disease, illness, vaccine supplies, and coverage.

Influenza Vaccination Communication Plans and Messages

for the 2010-11 Season(thinking as of June 2, 2010)

Influenza Vaccination Communication Campaign Overview: 2010-11 Season

Campaign Theme

• Developed for CDC by AED and Arnold Communications

• Tested well with diverse audiences• A ‘call to action’ for all• Seeks to communicates that in addition to

protecting oneself, we each can have a hand in protecting those who may be at high risk of having serious flu-related complications.

Broad as well as targeted efforts. . .

• Parents of children age 18 and younger• Older Americans• Adults with chronic health conditions• Young adults• Pregnant women• People who live with or care for those at high risk for

complications from flu, including: • Health care workers • Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from

the flu • Household contacts and caregivers of children <5 years of age with

particular emphasis on contacts of children <6 months of age

• Minority populations (African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans/Alaskan Natives)

Campaign Elements include. . .

• Formative research and message testing

• Partner outreach and collaboration• Earned media (e.g., press briefings, mattes, radio and

satellite media tour, ethnic media roundtables)

• Paid media (e.g., PSA placement, print ads)

• Web and social media

• Print materials such as posters, brochures, flyers

• Education and outreach to healthcare workers

• Process and impact evaluation

Overarching Messages

Overarching Messages (I)

• Influenza (the flu) is a serious disease, leading to hospitalizations and sometimes even death. Anyone can get sick from the flu.

• Starting with the 2010-11 flu season, CDC recommends all people age 6 months and older receive annual influenza vaccination.

• Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious complications from the flu, even death.

• The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.

• Getting a flu vaccine is easy, and is the single most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from flu.

Overarching Messages (II)• The flu vaccine that will be available for the 2010-2011 flu

season will provide protection against the 2009 H1N1 virus. There will not be a need to get a separate vaccine for 2009 H1N1 flu.

• Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people, including children and young adults, can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others.

• The flu vaccine provides protection that lasts through the flu season. The flu vaccine is updated to include current viruses every year. A seasonal flu vaccine made against flu viruses going around last year may not protect against newer viruses, and annual vaccination is the only way to maintain protection each year.

Thanks!

Examples of Audience-Specific Plans:

Pregnant WomenHealth Care WorkersHispanic Subgroups

Research with Pregnant Women

• In September 2009, CDC conducted 18 focus groups with pregnant or recently pregnant (within six months postpartum) women in Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Texas; and Portland, Oregon• 144 participants, mostly white (65.5%), followed by 28.1

percent black; 60% intended to get seasonal flu vaccine

• The safety of the baby is a key factor in pregnant women’s motivation to adopt recommendations.

• Pregnant women are taught to be selective about taking medications. Vaccination messages should acknowledge this belief and provide a clear rationale for why vaccine is recommended.

• Post-partum women have concerns about taking medications while breastfeeding.

• Health care providers are a key trusted source of information.

Overarching Communication Strategy for

Pregnant Women• Utilize ObGyns to encourage and/or administer influenza

vaccination• Conduct research to better understand barriers and facilitators • Provide information and resources• Partner with ACOG on events and outreach

• Acknowledge that pregnant women are, and should be, careful about medications they take.

• Explain that influenza causes risk to mom and baby and stress the safety of the vaccine during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

• First time mom’s-to-be are high information seekers. Get vaccination messages into publications and websites for pregnant women and new moms (including via content syndication).

Outreach to Pregnant Women

• Outreach to online sites such as BabyCenter.com, iVillage’s pregnancy channel

• Pregnant and new moms on Twitter will be identified and recruited to participate in the Flu campaign

• “Family vaccination day” during NIVW

• Distribution of matte article• Posters and flyers• Paid placement of ads (e.g.,

on Oxygen, Lifetime, targeted websites)

Key Partnerships• ACOG, AAFP, WIC,

hospital administrators, hospital maternity wards, birthing hospitals and pharmacy associations who all communicate with pregnant women

Tactics

Health Care Workers

• Physicians generally supportive of influenza vaccination

• Nurses and allied health care providers share many of the same attitudes and misperceptions about influenza and flu vaccines as the general public

• Beliefs that they have strong immune systems and don’t need to be vaccinated

• Concerns and questions regarding the use of live, nasal spray vaccine

Research