Supporting conversations about vaccinations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people NCIRS fact sheets, FAQs and other resources Main navigation Australian Immunisation Handbook COVID-19 vaccines Immunisation coverage data and reports Education and training History of immunisation Immunisation schedules National and international resources NCIRS fact sheets, FAQs and other resources COVID-19 DTPa-HB-IPV-Hib vaccine (Vaxelis® and Infanrix hexa®) Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Hepatitis B Human papillomavirus Influenza Japanese encephalitis Measles Measles vaccination catch-up guide Meningococcal Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) Mumps Pertussis Pneumococcal Poliomyelitis Rotavirus Rubella Varicella-zoster (chickenpox) Zoster Injection site reactions Vaccine components Vaccines for Australian adults Vaccinations during pregnancy NCIRS webinar series Patient communication resources Specialist immunisation services SKAI - supporting health professionals NCIRS newsletters Vaccine safety This page is for immunisation providers (GPs, nurses, pharmacists) providing influenza vaccination to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. The purpose of this page is to provide you with information and resources that help you to have supportive culturally appropriate vaccination conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. While we focus here on influenza vaccination, the principles can be applied to other vaccinations. This information and these resources have been designed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers and health providers in collaboration with the NCIRS Social Science Team, and are informed by research with immunisation providers working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.1 These resources have been produced as part of SKAI (Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation), which is currently being expanded to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Why is it important to talk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families about vaccinating against influenza? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to experience severe influenza disease2 that could be prevented with vaccination. In Australia, seasonal influenza is the most common vaccine-preventable disease contributing to hospitalisation, aside from COVID-19. In 2016 - 2018: Influenza vaccine has been funded (since 2019) for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 6 months of age, but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families are under-vaccinated.3,4 View the most up-to-date influenza vaccination coverage data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people hereProviders have an important role in strongly recommending and opportunistically offering influenza vaccination to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 6 months of age; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people value receiving a clear message and strong recommendation to vaccinate from their health provider. However, recent studies indicate that some providers may not be aware of the risk of influenza complications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of all ages, and the importance of strongly recommending vaccination. As a result, some may not be opportunistically offering and strongly recommending influenza vaccination to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of all ages.1,5,6 As an immunisation provider, how can you have better conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families about influenza vaccination? 1. Download the NCIRS conversation guide 'Talking about flu vaccination with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families'. Talking about flu vaccination with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families (.pdf) [1.4 MB] You can use this guide when talking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families about vaccination This resource helps you to have culturally appropriate, supportive conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients about any vaccination The resource also gives an example of an actual flu vaccination conversation with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient, and how to address the patient’s questions and concerns about flu vaccine in a supportive way. 2. Download the NCIRS resource 'Flu Vaccine Information Sheet'. Flu Vaccine Information Sheet (.pdf) [1.38 MB] This resource helps answer key questions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families may have about influenza vaccination You can print this resource and give it to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family when you start your influenza vaccination conversation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people value having a conversation with their health provider, so use this resource as a conversation starter (rather than leaving it in the waiting room or handing to the patient without having a conversation). 3. If you are looking for further resources, access and read the summary table of vaccination resources below; It provides a summary of influenza and COVID-19 vaccination information tools and communication resources featured on key Australian health websites which were designed (with or without input from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) either for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, or for immunisation providers working with them. You can scan through this summary to find and download relevant resources to support you and/or your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. NCIRS Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (SKAI) and ACI Shared Decision Making tool (which are listed at the top of the summary table) may be particularly useful for immunisation providers. Summary table: Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination information tools and communication resources, designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, or for immunisation providers working with them* Download this table here: Summary table: Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination information tools (.pdf) [3.56 MB] Document name Aboriginal input in design Key points Icon Link Yarning to make health decisions together Yes Can be helpful for immunisation providers in fostering a supportive conversation about vaccination with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families As a provider you can print it, give it to the patient, and use it as a conversation guide to foster a supportive conversation about vaccination Designed with COVID-19 in mind, but could be adapted for any vaccination, and, further towards any health concern Designed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community representatives to target vaccine hesitancy and uncertainty Puts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the centre Culturally appropriate Interactive Access here Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (SKAI) No Can be helpful for immunisation providers in facilitating effective vaccine communication and decision-making with patients who are either accepting, hesitant or refusing vaccination. Includes website, resources and e-learning for healthcare providers Also provides user-friendly resources for parents/carers and pregnant women and their partners to help answer their vaccination questions and concerns. As a provider, you can refer your patients to, or print and share, SKAI resources for parents SKAI focuses on childhood vaccinations (including influenza vaccination); however, the conversation principles can be applied to other vaccinations Access here Information about COVID-19 vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Yes Can be helpful for immunisation providers in addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ questions and facilitating discussions about COVID-19 vaccination Access here COVID-19 vaccines: Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by cancer Yes Can be helpful for immunisation providers in addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ questions and facilitating discussions about COVID-19 vaccines for people affected by cancer Access here Meningococcal B vaccination — a guide for healthcare providers Yes Can be helpful for immunisation providers in having supportive conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ about meningococcal B vaccine Designed with input from NCIRS National Indigenous Immunisation Coordinator Access here Questions about getting vaccinated/Severity of COVID-19 in children No Can be helpful for immunisation providers in addressing patients’ questions about COVID-19 vaccination Might be hard to navigate and understand for community Last updated March 2022 Not Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific Access here Decision aid (16+ years): Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine? No Immunisation providers could use this decision aid to go through with clients May be too wordy for individuals with low literacy and low health literacy Not Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific Access here MMR Vaccination decision tool No Immunisation providers could use this decision aid to support and facilitate conversations about measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination Not Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific Access here Communication materials for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Unsure Information and resources (i.e. posters, fact sheets, videos, FAQs, social media) on a range of subjects relating to COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations More useful for immunisation providers than community members Resources not specifically designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Access here *The tools and resources summarised in this table come from the search of key Australian health websites, conducted in April 2022 by Larissa Karpish and Kiya Shipley, NCIRS Aboriginal Population Health Trainees, with input from the NCIRS Social Science Team and the NCIRS National Indigenous Immunisation Coordinator, Katrina Clark. The search included websites of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, NSW Health, NCIRS, National Indigenous Australians Agency, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Australian Indigenous Health Infonet, and Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council. References 1 Bolsewicz, K.T., et al., “Every interaction you have …should be an opportunity to discuss and offer influenza vaccination”. Health service perspectives on influenza vaccination promotion and delivery to Aboriginal families living in New South Wales, Australia. Vaccine, 2022. (in press) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.08.057 2 Pathel, C., Dey, A., Wang, H., McIntyre, P., Macartney, K., Beard, F. Summary of National Surveillance Data on Vaccine Preventable Disease in Australia, 20216-2018. Communicable Diseases Intelligence. 2022. Vol 46. https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2022.46.28 3 Hull, B., Hendry, A., Dey, A., Brotherton, J., Macartney, K., and Beard, F., 2021. Annual Immunisation Coverage Report 2020. The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, available from https://ncirs.org.au/media/744 4 Influenza vaccination coverage data 2021-2022, available from https://www.ncirs.org.au/influenza-vaccination-coverage-data 5 O'Grady, K.-A., et al., Uptake of influenza vaccination in pregnancy amongst Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women: a mixed-methods pilot study. BMC Research Notes, 2015. 8(169). 6 Menzies, R., et al., Why is influenza vaccine uptake so low among Aboriginal adults? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2020. 44: p. 279-83. 2554 views