7 tips for talking about vaccination: conversations with empathy
Some of the most common queries that Romy and I (Jess) get are “how do I talk to my family about this…” or “my friend says this…how do I respond?”. Of course, we’re talking about “talking about vaccination”. Charged with tension and difficulty to get past the emotive nature that it seems to be, this article (and downloadable poster) provides 7 tips to help you navigate these challenging conversations.
Before even getting to the conversation, it’s helpful to understand that each of us brings individual experiences and ideas that have shaped our values and beliefs. A philosophy that I (Jess) like to bring is the Harvard Medical Simulation centre’s “Basic Assumption” - in a nutshell “everyone is here because they want to be and they’re trying their best with the knowledge at hand”.
Consider your environment
Where is the conversation occurring? Is it in a quiet space or crowded and noisy, with higher risk of misunderstanding? Setting up the environment right is important, as it can contribute to power imbalance.
What is your body language? Are you using open positioning - such as hands by your side or clasped (e.g. Don’t stand while the other is sitting and don’t do hands on hips).
We also need to know “is it safe?” Some conversations are not safe to have - whether physically or emotionally. So consider is this conversation worth your time and energy before engaging? Are you in the right place to engage well? If not, it might be time to walk away.
Listen and ask questions
It can be very tempting to dismiss someone’s concerns outright, however taking the time to thoughtfully respond to their concerns can play a key role in their decision making process. Start with listening. Don’t bombard them with facts and overwhelming information. Take the time to listen and hear their main concerns and what the core of the issue is - often there is more to the concern than just the surface conversation. Use questions starting with “what” and “how” to get to the bottom of the concern. Something like “what led you to believe this?”, or “how did you hear this?” is a good place to start.
Tailor your message
Once you know their main concerns, consider their prior knowledge and experiences. This includes their educational knowledge, what kind of environment they work in, who is in their family and what their experiences with the health system have been.
Focus on the benefits
Rather than focusing only on the consequences of not getting vaccinated, focus on the benefits. Focus on talking about keeping their family safe and the return to normal, rather than calling it “the right thing to do”. I (Romy) always like to come back to the key point that the benefits of vaccination outweigh any potential risks.
Acknowledge concerns
Acknowledge what their concerns are and repeat them back, this will prove that you are listening. Any hint of intolerance of questions or concerns will only fuel pre-existing skepticism and will be a hindrance to productive conversation. Find the common ground - even in concerns, you may have some similarities on what your concerns may have been regarding vaccination.
Share your story
A good narrative trumps facts, people will remember a narrative more than facts you tell them. If you have already received the vaccine, tell people why you received it. People are more likely to talk about things that are worrying to them personally. Bringing the conversation back to something they can relate to will have a more productive impact. It’s possible the reason you chose to receive the vaccine could be the reason they will too.
Be honest and transparent
Not every conversation will end in the way you want. You won’t convince everyone to get on board with your values - and that’s ok. Even with conditions of employment in some workplaces or conditions of entry for certain activities, people still have a choice to make. Acknowledging their right to choose is an act of respect and helps you to avoid having a non-beneficial polarising conversation. It’s also helpful to not talk in extremes or absolutes - science is rarely absolute (Remember that time we said, “NO! No masks!” and look where we are), and we want to enable openness and the ability to get things wrong.
Wishing you every success in your conversations.
Download the poster HERE or HERE.
For more tips and tricks, you can book us for a workshop on Talking About Vaccination or follow us on social media - @theimmunisationnurse and @j_stokesparish
Jess & Romy
References & Resources:
Chadwick et al (2020). News sharing on UK social media: misinformation, disinformation and correction. Opinium. https://www.lboro.ac.uk/media/media/subjects/communication-media-studies/downloads/chadwick-vaccari-o3c-1-news-sharing-on-uk-social-media-1.pdf
Lewandowsky et al (2012). Misinformation and its correction: continued influence and successful debiasing. DOI: 10.1177/1529100612451018
Lewandowsky et al (2020). The Debunking Handbook 2020. DOI:10.17910/b7.1182
Wolynn & Hermann (2021). Shots heard around the world: better communication holds the key to vaccine acceptance. Nature Immunology https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-021-00998-y#citeas
World Health Organisation, Vaccine Safety Training Module 3. https://vaccine-safety-training.org/vaccine-reactions.html
