As one of the most important strategies for promoting public health, vaccines protect people from serious vaccine-preventable diseases. Yet, communicating effectively about vaccines with consumers and health care professionals is a complex endeavor. Misinformation and disinformation threaten long-established trust, while the approval of new vaccines necessitates awareness building and education. To help CDC promote immunization across the lifespan, we researched knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding vaccination and tested health communication materials and educational information.

Hager Sharp employed various qualitative and quantitative methods to conduct formative research and testing, including online and probability-based surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews. We analyzed the findings from this research and provided CDC with insights and recommendations to guide the development of vaccine-related communication activities and products across a variety of consumer and professional audiences.

The research and testing enabled CDC to produce effective materials that were well-received by its audiences.

Hager Sharp conducts four to six message and materials testing surveys each year with a variety of consumer and professional audiences. For example, in 2022, we conducted a survey with 500 Spanish-speaking parents of children ages 0 to 6 to test materials in Spanish. We also fielded a survey with pediatric nurses and pediatricians to test a guide to discuss the HPV vaccine with parents.

Each year, Hager Sharp conducts up to 16 focus groups and 48 in-depth interviews with parents and/or health care providers to explore knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to vaccination and to gather their feedback on messages and materials.