At a glance
Confidence in vaccines is built through conversations between parents and caregivers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and community members. The Strengthen Immunization Communications strategy focuses on communications, building trust by answering patient questions, and staff training.
Evidence base
Provider office setting
Studies have linked web-based educational content to improved vaccine acceptance:
- A 2020 study identified that primary care practices with the greatest gains in identifying missed opportunities were those that built multi-disciplinary teams, including medical directors and front desk staff.1
- A 2017 study found increased on-time immunization among infants whose parents were provided with web-based content about immunizations, including social media options while pregnant.2
- Participants in a 2018 HPV communication intervention that produced a significant reduction in missed opportunities for immunization reported that communication training and fact sheets were the most used and useful components.3
- Tailoring messaging to your target audience and using clear language are both especially important.4
- A 2019 study identified several common facilitators to implementing an effective HPV immunization promotion program:5
- Designating an Immunization Champion to encourage program objectives, reinforce immunization as a priority, and ensure that education and messaging spread consistently among clinic staff.
- Training and education for staff increased their confidence in immunizations and their ability to talk with patients and caregivers. Training was important for all staff including frontline workers and medical assistants.
- Ensure availability of tools and resources to prompt a discussion on immunizations. Posters in waiting rooms and patient rooms help patients to start thinking about immunizations before the provider walks into the room.
- A 2020 study interviewed primary care practices that achieved a 20 or more-percentage point improvement in missed opportunities for HPV immunization. Researchers found that these practices' QI projects had common characteristics of leadership support, multidisciplinary teams, a collaborative atmosphere, and practice champions. In addition, the teams in these practices "often had broader representation, including the practices' medical director and/or practice administrator, the chief medical officer (if part of a health system), or front desk staff".6
Birthing hospital setting
Communication is a key component of a multifaceted approach to increase newborn immunizations in birthing hospitals. Strategies to improve communication between providers and parents/caregivers of newborns have been shown to significantly impact immunization coverage rates by hospital discharge.
- Nurse-led interventions, including the ability to obtain consent, were significant contributors to improvement in the timeliness of hepatitis B vaccine administration in a 2021 study examining strategies improving timeliness of hepatitis B vaccine birth dose administration.7
Evidence-based best practices
Provider office setting
- Educate patients and parents and caregivers by including educational material on immunizations (e.g., one-pagers, posters) in welcome packets for new patients, waiting rooms, and exam rooms.
- Facilitate access to reliable online information about immunization by incorporating immunization-related content and links on provider websites and ensure the content is routinely updated.
- Foster a culture of immunization by making immunization education and promotion a team effort:
- Appoint an immunization champion to help the provider team maintain focus on their IQIP coverage goals. Champions can create enthusiasm and a sense of cohesion among staff as well as serve as an internal advocate for implementing IQIP strategies.
- Develop a multidisciplinary and collaborative team to implement, monitor, and support immunization initiatives.
- Provide routine training about vaccine preventable diseases, recommended vaccines, and the immunization schedule to all staff.
Birthing hospital setting
- Incorporate information about immunizations into hospital registration forms, brochures, and information.
- Develop patient education materials in multiple languages, including information about the risks of perinatal hep B and RSV infection for newborns.
- Utilize various communication channels such as posters, brochures, and website information.
- Provide information to parents and caregivers who decide not to immunize their newborn before discharge and ensure they have a plan to follow-up on immunizations.
Strategy resources
Educate patients and parents/caregivers
- Resources for providers
- Talking with Parents about HPV Vaccination | HPV (CDC)
- Need Help Responding to Vaccine-Hesitant Parents? (Immunize.org)
- Questions Parents May Ask about Vaccines | Childhood Vaccines (CDC)
- Talking with Parents about Vaccines for Infants-Healthcare Professionals (CDC)
- Vaccine Resources (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
- Prescription for Information (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
- CME: How to Talk with Patients and Parents about Vaccines (Institute for Vaccine Safety)
- Resources for parents/caregivers
- Before, During, and After Shots | Childhood Vaccines (CDC)
- Clear Answers and Smart Advice About Your Baby's Shots (Immunize.org)
- Reasons to Vaccinate | Childhood Vaccines (CDC)
- Reliable Sources of Immunization Information: Where Parents Can Go to Find Answers! (Immunize.org)
- Evaluating Online Health Information | Vaccine Information (Immunize.org)
- Religion and Vaccines (Institute for Vaccine Safety)
- Resources for Evaluating Information (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
- Vaccine Fact Sheets (Voices for Vaccines)
- What If You Don't Vaccinate Your Child? (Immunize.org)
Foster a culture of immunization
- Training - Fostering a Culture of Immunization in Your Practice (Public Health Foundation)
- Foster Support for Vaccination in Your Practice (CDC)
- How To Support Vaccination In Your Practice (CDC Poster, 8.5 x 11)
- How To Support Vaccination In Your Practice (CDC Poster, 11 x 17)
Routine training
- Immunization Education & Training (CDC)
- You Call The Shots (CDC)
Content Source
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD)
About This Page
Published: July 16, 2024
Updated: September 23, 2026
This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.
Reviewed: September 23, 2026
The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.
- Cataldi, J. R., Kerns, M. E., & O'Leary, S. T. (2020). Evidence-based strategies to increase vaccination uptake: A review. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 32(1), 151–159. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOP.0000000000000843
- Glanz, J. M., Wagner, N. M., Narwaney, K. J., Kraus, C. R., Shoup, J. A., Xu, S., O'Leary, S. T., Omer, S. B., Gleason, K. S., & Daley, M. F. (2017). Web-based social media intervention to increase vaccine acceptance: A randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics, 140(6), e20171117. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-1117
- Dempsey, A. F., Pyrznawoski, J., Lockhart, S., Barnard, J., Campagna, E. J., Garrett, K., Fisher, A., Dickinson, L. M., & O'Leary, S. T. (2018). Effect of a health care professional communication training intervention on adolescent human papillomavirus vaccination: A cluster randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(5), e180016. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0016
- Lama, Y., Qin, Y., Nan, X., Knott, C., Adebamowo, C., Ntiri, S. O., & Wang, M. Q. (2022). Human papillomavirus vaccine acceptability and campaign message preferences among African American parents: A qualitative study. Journal of Cancer Education, 37(6), 1691–1701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-02014-1
- Escoffery, C., Riehman, K., Watson, L., Priess, A. S., Borne, M. F., Halpin, S. N., Rhiness, C., Wiggins, E., & Kegler, M. C. (2019). Facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the HPV VACs (Vaccinate Adolescents Against Cancers) program: A consolidated framework for implementation research analysis. Preventing Chronic Disease, 16, E85. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180406
- Rand, C. M., Concannon, C., Wallace-Brodeur, R., Davis, W., Albertin, C. S., Humiston, S. G., & Szilagyi, P. G. (2020). Identifying strategies to reduce missed opportunities for HPV vaccination in primary care: A qualitative study of positive deviants. Clinical Pediatrics, 59(12), 1058–1068. https://doi.org/10.1177/0009922820930357
- Sarathy, L., Cirillo, C., Dehn, C., Lerou, P. H., & Prendergast, M. (2021). Improving timeliness of hepatitis B vaccine birth dose administration. Hospital Pediatrics, 11(5), 446–453. https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2020-002766