Vaccine Hesitancy

How to Tailor COVID-19 Vaccine Information to Your Specific Audience  Last Updated: Aug 2024
Have others in their circle of influence had positive or negative experiences? What core beliefs, values, and moral foundations drive your intended audience’s decision making? To improve vaccine confidence and COVID-19 vaccination rates, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares steps for tailoring messaging and materials to your specific audience.

Additional Resources include:
For sample COVID-19 vaccination messages, refer to the following resources:

• CDC Key Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines
• Ad Council COVID Collaborative Messaging Recommendations
• NIH COVID-19 Vaccination Communication: Applying Behavioral and Social Science to Address Vaccine Hesitancy and Foster Vaccine Confidence

Clear communication is important no matter who you’re trying to reach. The following are helpful resources when drafting your messaging and materials:

• Everyday Words for Public Health Communication: A guide for writing clear public health messages.
• CDC Clear Communication Index: A research-based tool to help you develop and assess public health communication materials.

For more guidance on testing materials, refer to the following resources:

• CDC: Health Literacy: Develop and Test Materials: Guidance on ways to effectively develop and test materials for audiences of varying health literacy levels.
• Making Health Communication Programs Work (Pink Book): A publication from the National Cancer Institute (also called the Pink Book), a revision of the original 1989 guide offering planning steps for health communication programs.

Improve Your Clinic’s Practices To Encourage Vaccination

Additional resources mentioned:

• Reminder and recall system 
• Screening form or checklist 

Infographic Poster - Display an illustrated poster to remind staff how they can support vaccination.

• Download Printable 8.5×11” [1 page]
• Download Printable 11×17” [1 page]