CPHA Canvax
CPHA Canvax

University of Toronto

Project Title: Improving the Vaccination Experience at School: What CARDS are you going to play?
Funding Recipient: University of Toronto
Project Contact: Dr. Anna Taddio, Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy University of Toronto (anna.taddio@utoronto.ca)
Project Period: TBD – March 31st, 2020

About the project

This project will adapt a school-based vaccination intervention called The CARD™ System (C-Comfort, A-Ask, R-Relax, D-Distract) and evaluate its effectiveness when implemented in the school vaccination program in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG) Public Health using a randomized controlled trial design. CARD is a framework for providing vaccinations to students that is evidence-based and student-centred. It addresses student learning needs about vaccination, clinic setting convenience factors, and coping behaviours during vaccination. Anticipated results of this project include knowledge about CARD and use of CARD by stakeholders involved in the school vaccination program in WDG, improvements across school vaccination program delivery outcomes, including student symptoms during vaccination (e.g., student fear, pain, dizziness/fainting, post-immunization stress related responses) and process outcomes (e.g., school vaccination rate, fidelity of intervention).

Goal

The goal of this project is to improve the vaccination experience during school-based vaccinations in the WDG Public Health Unit, which, in turn, will reduce vaccination hesitancy.

Objectives

  1. Adapt an implementation and evaluation plan for CARD (C-Comfort, A-Ask, R-Relax Distract) – a school-based vaccination intervention – to address barriers to school-based vaccinations in WDG Public Health unit;

  2. Implement and evaluate CARD’s effectiveness in WDG schools.

As well, this project will create opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to have valuable learning experiences, including; building skills in patient-oriented research, implementation science, quantitative and qualitative methods and knowledge translation.

Outcomes

  • Short Term:
    • Increased understanding of the barriers to vaccination in WDG Public Health and refinement of CARD to address these barriers.
  • Medium Term:
    • Staff fully informed and supported to implement CARD, successful implementation of CARD (reduced student symptoms, improved vaccination rate, acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and fidelity).
  • Long Term:
    • Long-term outcomes – sustained use of CARD and reduced vaccine-preventable disease and associated negative health outcomes.

The challenge that the project addresses

Vaccination is estimated to have saved more lives in Canada over the last 50 years than any other single intervention and is considered one of the most important advances in the prevention of disease. While vaccination acceptance is the norm on a global level, a significant number of individuals delay or refuse vaccination. Vaccination hesitancy is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite availability of vaccination services” and is identified as one of the 10 top threats to global health.

The focus of this project is vaccine hesitancy among adolescents. Recent systematic reviews identify sub-optimal vaccination in adolescents. Poor vaccine uptake puts youth at risk of life-threatening diseases, including cancer. WDG Public Health is a relevant setting for this work as student vaccination uptake (71%) rates are below national (75%) and target (> 90%) levels. The lessons learned and tools/resources developed will directly benefit the municipality of WDG and allow other health units with additional options for implementation of CARD within their regions.

About the University of Toronto - Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

The University of Toronto is the most research-intensive university in Canada and one of the top universities in the world. This project aligns with the university’s top 3 priorities: involving our students in world-class research; leveraging our location to produce ground breaking solutions; and developing partnerships that produce global impact.

The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is Canada’s largest pharmacy school and has a world-class reputation in education and research. Their mission is mission to advance health by undertaking impactful research and fostering innovative practice.