La Trobe University > CHCP > Effectiveness Research > Projects > Communicate to Vaccinate (COMMVAC)

Communicate to Vaccinate (COMMVAC)

Effective communication between parents and providers has the potential to improve vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). High quality evidence exists, however it is often difficult to find or is not applicable to LMICs. This project aims to make the evidence more visible in order to inform vaccination policies, practice and research.

This research is funded by the Research Council of Norway. View the COMMVAC website.

Project team

Name Organisation
Simon Lewin Norwegian Knowledge Centre  for the Health Services
Sophie Hill La Trobe University, Australia
Linda Anderson La Trobe University, Australia
Sara Bensaude de Castro Freire International Union for Health Promotion and Education
Xavier Bosch-Capblanch Swiss Centre for International Health
Claire Glenton Norwegian Knowledge Centre  for the Health Services
Leyla Hussein University of Cape Town, South Africa
Jessica Kaufman La Trobe University, Australia
John Kis-Rigo La Trobe University, Australia
Vivian Lin La Trobe University, Australia
Hassan Mahomed University of Cape Town, South Africa
Kjetil Olsen Norwegian Knowledge Centre  for the Health Services
Linda Rhoda University of Cape Town, South Africa
Priscilla Robinson La Trobe University, Australia
Zainab Waggie University of Cape Town, South Africa
Natalie Willis La Trobe University, Australia
Charles Wiysonge University of Cape Town, South Africa

Progress

We developed a taxonomy of communication interventions aimed at increasing vaccination coverage. A taxonomy is a method of organising things into groups that share similar characteristics, and it is a useful tool for synthesising large quantities of information into a more logical format. We used this information to answer questions such as ‘What is the range of communication interventions?’ and ‘What kind of interventions take place in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs)?’ Deliberative fora were held in June 2011 in which stakeholders in the vaccination field commented on the rigour of the taxonomy and made use of this information to identify high priority topics for systematic review.

In 2012 the first Cochrane protocol arising from this project was published.

Publications and presentations

Peer reviewed

  • Kaufman J, Synnot A, Hill S, Willis N, Horey D, Lin V, Ryan R, Robinson P. Face to face interventions for informing or educating parents about early childhood vaccination (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD010038. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010038.
  • Lewin S, Hill S, Abdullahi LH, Bensaude de Castro Freire S, Bosch-Capblanch X, Glenton C, Hussey GD, Jones CM, Kaufman J, Lin V, Mahomed H, Rhoda L, Robinson P, Waggie Z, Willis N, Wiysonge CS. (2011) ‘Communicate to vaccinate’ (COMMVAC). Building evidence for improving communication about childhood vaccinations in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a programme of research. Implementation Science, 6:125.

Other

  • Willis N, Kaufman J. (2011) ‘Communicate to Vaccinate’: building on research knowledge to improve communication about childhood vaccination with parents and communities. InTouch: Newsletter of the Public Health Association of Australia, 28:11.

Posters

  • Lewin S, Hill S, Kaufman J, Galak N, Kis-Rigo J, Anderson , Bosch-Capblanch X, Hussein L, Lin V, Mahomed H, Rhoda L, Robinson P, ben Saude de Castro Freire S, Waggie Z, Wiysonge C. (2011) A novel approach to building evidence for improving communication about childhood vaccinations in low- and middle-income countries: the ‘communicate to vaccinate’ (COMMVAC) project. XIX Cochrane Colloquium, Madrid, October 19-21 2011.
  • Lewin S, Hill S, Kaufman J, Galak N, Kis-Rigo J, Anderson , Bosch-Capblanch X, Hussein L, Lin V, Mahomed H, Rhoda L, Robinson P, ben Saude de Castro Freire S, Waggie Z, Wiysonge C. (2011) A novel approach to building evidence for improving communication about childhood vaccinations in low- and middle-income countries: the ‘communicate to vaccinate’ (COMMVAC) project. 6th Conference on Global Health and Vaccination Research and the Norwegian Medical Association`s 125th Anniversary Conference, Oslo, September 12–13 2011.
  • Lewin S, Hill S, Kaufman J, Willis N, Bensaude de Castro Freire S, Bosch-Capblanch X, Lin V, Robinson P, Wiysonge C. (2012) ‘Communicate to vaccinate’ (COMMVAC) project: building evidence for communication about childhood vaccinations. PHAA 13th National Immunisation Conference, Darwin, June 19 -21 2012.
  • Lewin S, Hill S, Kaufman J, Willis N, Bensaude de Castro Freire S, Bosch-Capblanch X, Lin V, Robinson P, Wiysonge C. (2012) ‘Communicate to vaccinate’ (COMMVAC) project: Building evidence for communication about childhood vaccinations. Population Health Congress 2012, Adelaide, September 9-12 2012.

Contact

Jessica Kaufman
Research Officer
COMMVAC Project

T: +61 (0)3 9479 6013
F: +61 (0)3 9479 5977
Email: j.kaufman@latrobe.edu.au