Supporting conversations about vaccinations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

NCIRS fact sheets, FAQs and other resources

• 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 here
  Providers 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.}