Interpersonal Communication and Counseling: Improving Dialogue About COVID-19 Vaccination and Other Sensitive Topics

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The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has highlighted the need for improved interpersonal counseling and communication (IPCC). Mis- and disinformation has muddled COVID-19 messaging, meaning that health providers have to spend extra time communicating with and counseling clients on vaccine side effects, risks, and benefits to ensure their concerns are addressed.

This course is intended for all health workers that interface with clients, including both in the health facility and at community-level. It offers an introduction and overview of IPCC, and techniques for counseling clients and countering myths and misinformation on an interpersonal level. Participants will learn how to better communicate with clients, as well as how to properly counsel clients to encourage behavior change. The course introduces new IPCC-related skills, provides a framework for sensitive counseling sessions, offers interactive exercises to practice these new skills, and includes job aids that can be printed and used in any counseling setting. Though the course focuses on counseling related to COVID-19 vaccination, it is widely applicable and useful for providers working in any health topic, from routine immunization to family planning to other health emergencies.

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COVID-19 Stickers in Malawi

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A series of stickers in Chichewa featuring health workers and religious leaders encouraging various audiences, including youth, to get vaccinated.

Source: COVID-19 Stickers in Malawi

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Designing Social and Behavior Change Solutions to Support Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake: A Technical Brief

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As countries continue to expand eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination, programs will benefit from considering how efforts to encourage pediatric vaccine uptake may differ from supporting uptake in the broader population. This brief guides practitioners and policymakers through applying a behavioral design approach to developing tailored social and behavior change solutions.

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Leveraging PHC for COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

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As people’s first and most trusted point of contact with the health care system, Primary Health Care (PHC) has a vital role to play in vaccination efforts. This document takes global guidance and best practices as a starting point to suggest actionable ways in which PHC can be leveraged for COVID-19 vaccination.

Source: Leveraging PHC for COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

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    Closing the COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Gap Among Health Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

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    Health workers need to get vaccinated for COVID-19 to protect both themselves and others. In their role as frontline workers, they have higher exposure to the virus, and they have a powerful influence on public vaccine attitudes and behavior. Therefore, health workers are a priority group for COVID-19 vaccination, yet many still have not taken the vaccine, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In countries where overall vaccination rates are still quite low, health workers may also face more barriers to getting vaccinated. Public health programs thus need innovative approaches to support health workers’ acceptance and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.

    Want to learn more? Download a companion piece detailing the solutions and watch the Closing the COVID-19 Vaccine Gap webinar (both available in English and French).

    Source: Closing the COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Gap Among Health Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

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      Continuity of essential health services in Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique

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      This series of cross-sectional studies explores the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on demand- and supply-side factors affecting maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) service utilization in Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique. The studies reveal the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacted people’s willingness and ability to access essential MNCH services, their experiences of care, and the health system’s readiness to continue to provide essential care during the pandemic.

      Source: Continuity of essential health services in Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique

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        COVID-19 Vaccines Hesitancy Among Community Health Workers in Ethiopia and Associated Factors – Brief Report

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        Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) has implemented the COVID-19 vaccine promotion project in Ethiopia with funding and support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Global Breakthrough ACTION mechanism. CCP/Ethiopia conducted a cross-sectional community-based assessment of community health workers’ (CHWs) hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccines during June and July 2022. CHWs include both Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and Women Development Army (WDA). The assessment aimed to inform risk communication and vaccine promotion programs in Ethiopia. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect information from CHWs regarding exposure to messages about COVID-19 vaccines, risk perceptions and practices related to COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 998 randomly sampled CHWs (491 HEWs and 507 WDAs) were interviewed in five clusters of major regions of Ethiopia (Amhara, Oromia, Benishangul-Gumuz, Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region, Dire Dawa). About 200 randomly sampled CHWs were interviewed from each cluster.

        Source: COVID-19 Vaccines Hesitancy Among Community Health Workers in Ethiopia and Associated Factors – Brief Report

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          Building Trust and Empathy Around COVID-19: A Client-Centred Communication Approach

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          A participant’s booklet used to train facility-based healthcare workers on Building Trust and Empathy Around COVID-19.

          Source: Building Trust and Empathy Around COVID-19: A Client-Centred Communication Approach

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            COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Healthcare Workers in Ethiopia and Associated Factors

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            Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) has implemented a COVID-19 vaccine promotion project in Ethiopia with funding and technical assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the global Breakthrough ACTION mechanism. From February to March 2022, CCP/Ethiopia conducted a cross-sectional facility-based assessment of COVD-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers (HCWs). The assessment aimed to inform the risk communication and vaccine promotion programs in Ethiopia. Mobile phone assisted interviews were used to collect information regarding exposure to COVID-19 messages, risk perceptions and behavioral practices that are relevant to COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 500 randomly sampled healthcare workers were interviewed from selected health centers and hospitals in five clusters of major regions of Ethiopia (Bahir Dar, Hawasa, Jimma, Assossa and Addis Ababa). About 100 randomly sampled HCWs were interviewed from each cluster.

            Source: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Healthcare Workers in Ethiopia and Associated Factors

              Views 649