Importance of Health Risk Communication in the Creation of the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program

摘要

When Secretary of Defense William Cohen announced that military service members would take the anthrax vaccine, few anticipated the widespread reluctance to accept his directive. Service members have been required to take several vaccinations and this new force protection measure involved a vaccine approved by the FDA in 1970. An extensive information campaign was developed in response to the unanticipated opposition on the Internet and in the press. This paper suggests that a more proactive educational program with a greater utilization of health risk communication techniques would have reduced much of the negative reaction to the anthrax vaccine. Such techniques as early use of focus groups and surveys could have measured the effectiveness and comprehension of the message. Early evaluations could have identified the challenges of trust, credibility and organizational biases, which appeared as the program matured. A greater application of health risk communication in the creation of the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program Agency would have generated less controversy. Studying the development and implementation of health risk communication in the anthrax program can be applied to other military vaccines or the discussions on depleted uranium rounds or toxic exposure standards.