New resources to support conversations about influenza vaccination with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

In Australia, seasonal influenza is the second most common vaccine-preventable disease contributing to hospitalisation, after COVID-19. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to experience severe influenza disease that could be prevented with annual vaccination. 

Immunisation providers have an important role to play by opportunistically offering and strongly recommending the influenza vaccine, which is available under the National Immunisation Programme to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 6 months of age.

To support immunisation providers, NCIRS has developed new resources to help providers have culturally appropriate and supportive vaccination conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. While the focus of the new resources is on influenza vaccination, the conversation principles can also be applied to other vaccinations. The new resources have been developed as part of the Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (SKAI) expansion to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (more about SKAI at skai.org.au). 

The resources include a new conversation guide titled ‘Talking about flu vaccination with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families’, a new downloadable summary of vaccination communication resources, and an updated ‘Flu Vaccine Information Sheet’. 

These resources, as well as other helpful links, can be accessed via the following webpage: ‘Supporting conversations about vaccinations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait people’.

If you wish to share information directly with Aboriginal and Torres’s Strait Islander patients please use the following link ‘Influenza vaccination information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’