kohlsvaxkids.org

K o h l’ s VA X K i d s | P r o m o t i n g c h i l d h o o d i m m u n i z At i o n s

A Community Outreach Guide for Southern Maine

November 20 1 2

August 20 1 2

October 20 1 3

March 20 1 3

Childhood immunizations keep our community safe. Childhood immunizations protect children, families, and our larger community from dangerous, even deadly, diseases while saving our healthcare system billions of dollars.

Yet, our counties have some of the lowest immunization rates in Maine. More than one in four local children is not up to date on his or her immunizations. In fact, 2012 data showed only 64% of two years olds were up to date on their immunizations in Cumberland County, and only 71% in York County.1

Getting behind schedule leaves children vulnerable to dangerous diseases. While Maine’s immunization rates are improving, we still have a lot of work to do.

Will you help us keep local children safe and healthy?

Understanding local parents’ decision to vaccinateA statewide survey2 showed that the majority of

Maine parents believe vaccines protect children from

vaccine-preventable diseases. However, further

analysis and research has found common barriers to

vaccinating include:

•Believing on-time vaccinations are not necessary

•Believing vaccines are not safe

For many parents, these issues are intertwined.

In weighing safety versus necessity of childhood

immunizations, parents may think that perceived

vaccine safety risks outweigh the necessity of

vaccinating on time.

Parents with safety concerns (not to mention busy

lives) may not perceive on-time vaccinations as a top

priority and, therefore, get behind on the recommended

schedule. Parents not aware of the importance of

vaccination timing may actively try to address safety

concerns by choosing an alternative schedule.

“ If you want to give your kid the best chance of living a happy, healthy life, vaccinations are essential. In the big picture, vaccinations are small traumas with big rewards.”

Jason Shucker, Gorham, ME

About Kohls Vax KidsBarbara Bush Children’s Hospital teamed up with Kohl’s Cares

to create a locally-based immunization education campaign,

Kohl’s Vax Kids. The campaign is supported by the educational

resources of Vax Maine Kids, a provider of evidence-based

vaccination information and resources for parents in Maine.

What information do local parents need? Parents have many questions about childhood

immunizations. As a community, we can help parents

make the best healthcare decisions for their family.

The most important immunization education

messages to communicate to parents of young

children include:

Vaccines are necessary to protect children.

In fact, following the recommended vaccine

schedule protects a child from over 14 diseases by

age two. Staying up to date on the recommended

vaccine schedule:

•Prevents unnecessary illnesses and serious

diseases

•Keeps families and communities safe

Vaccines are safe.

Decades of research and the most current scientific

information show that the benefits of vaccines

clearly outweigh any risks. The recommended

schedule is based on this research and tested by

leading clinical experts, including those from the

Centers for Disease Control.

on-time vaccinations are important.

The recommended vaccination schedule is carefully

designed to protect children with certain vaccines

at certain times. The schedule gives vaccines at

the time when:

•Children are at highest risk for specific diseases

•Vaccines work best to prevent disease

Parents may inadvertently get off schedule or actively

choose an “alternative schedule.” Getting off schedule

puts children at greater risk for infectious disease.

local resources can help parents learn

more about vaccinations.

Parents have many questions and seek information

from many sources. The most important person they

can talk to about their immunization questions is their

child’s healthcare provider.

Outside the healthcare setting, parents should

seek information from evidence-based sources like

www.kohlsvaxkids.org.

Reaching many different types of local parentsEvery family makes decisions differently based on their own beliefs. While you know your organizations’ community best, understanding different family types and how they make decisions may better inform your outreach efforts. There are three main types of families with young children living in Cumberland and York counties:

Town Choice: College-educated,

upper-middle-income parents

with small families. Town Choice

parents use their own analysis and

interpretation of evidence to make

decisions.

Rural Choice: Upper-middle-

income parents with some college

education and several children in

the house. Rural Choice parents use

established traditions in their local

communities to make decisions.

Rural Legacy: High-school-

educated, lower-middle-income

parents with several children. Rural

Legacy parents use lessons learned

from their own life experiences to

make decisions.

Help promote on-time childhood immunizations You don’t need to have expert knowledge or a large budget—just a desire to keep our communities healthy! Here’s how you can help:

distribute free educational materials

Hang a poster: A poster creates a simple,

visual reminder about the importance of on-time

immunizations.

Offer educational resources: Offer resources such

as brochures and fact sheets for parents who want

additional information. Use the many downloadable,

free resources available at kohlsvaxkids.org.

leverage your social media

Post content: Use social media to spread educational

messages to parents who interact with your

organization. Need ideas for what to post? Check out

the sample posts in our online toolkit, or visit other

immunization sites like Vax Maine Kids.

Share content: Find the Facebook page, Twitter

handle, or other social media sites of local and national

immunization groups such as Vaccinate Your Baby,

Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, OK to Ask

VT or Voices for Vaccines. Follow their content, repost,

and share with your own network.

spread the word through emails or newsletters

Send messages: Include immunization education

messages in your email blasts or newsletters. Need

ideas for what to include? Check out the sample email

or newsletter blurb in our online toolkit, or visit other

immunization sites like the Centers for Disease Control

to get ideas.

“ The reason to vaccinate is to try to prevent harmful diseases from being introduced in the community and putting our children at risk. In order for immunizations to protect a community, you have to try to immunize as many community members as possible.”

Jane Ho, M.D., Maine Medical Partners—Pediatrics

u Use the free resources available at kohlsvaxkids.org to share information with parents.

1. Maine Immunization Program Regional Training Presentation. August 9, 2012. Portland, ME.

2. University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service and Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (March 2008.) “2008 Maine Early Childhood Immunization Survey Report.”

host events

Plan an event: Events are a great opportunity to educate

parents and connect to them in a fun way. Consider

planning immunization-focused events or including

immunization education at your existing events.

Remember, you don’t have to be an immunization

expert to host an educational event! Fill out the event

application in our online toolkit or contact us if you are

interested in partnering with us to host an event.

support others

Team up: Partner with other local organizations to

support childhood immunizations. Attend or help

staff an educational event, or promote or share online

content. Let’s build this effort together!