title: Strategies and actions of multi-purpose health communication on vaccine preventable infectious diseases in order to increase vaccination coverage in the population: The ESCULAPIO project.
abstract: The ESCULAPIO Project aims at increasing awareness on vaccine preventable infectious diseases (VPID) and vaccinations in different target populations and to spread the culture of prevention. Information/training interventions on VPID have been developed and health promotion activities for the general population, students and their parents, teachers and health care workers (HCWs) were set up. In Tuscany, educational courses on VPID in high schools were organized and students were stimulated to prepare informative materials on VPID for lower grade school pupils. In Liguria, an educational card game (named 'Vaccine at the Fair') was presented to children of primary schools. Stands in shopping centers were used in Palermo to distribute the regional vaccination schedule and gadgets, also providing indications on reliable websites where to find correct information on vaccinations. A music video played by health care workers (HCWs) was created and used in the University Hospital of Cagliari to promote the anti-flu vaccination campaign in HCWs. In Apulia, meetings with the general population were organized to collect controversial issues about vaccinations and a national call center was launched to create a direct line from the general population to experts in vaccines and vaccination strategies. In Veneto, meetings in the birth centers and home visits for subjects refusing vaccination have been organized. All activities are useful and effective tools to increase knowledge about VPID and confidence in vaccination, which are crucial aspects in order to increase vaccine uptake. The project was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CCM) in 2013.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bechini
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonanni
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lauri
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tiscione
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences , University of Foggia , Foggia , Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prato
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences , University of Foggia , Foggia , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences , University of Foggia , Foggia , Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.affiliation: c Department of Health Sciences , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.affiliation: c Department of Health Sciences , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panatto
authors.affiliation: c Department of Health Sciences , University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amicizia
authors.affiliation: d Department of Public Health , Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari , Cagliari , Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa Cristina
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.affiliation: e Regional Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Veneto Region , Venezia , Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pellizzari
authors.affiliation: f Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. d'Alessandro , University of Palermo , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Garden
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tabacchi
authors.affiliation: f Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. d'Alessandro , University of Palermo , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.affiliation: f Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. d'Alessandro , University of Palermo , Palermo , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.affiliation: g Ministry of Health , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iannazzo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boccalini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: awareness; communication; general population; health care workers; infectious diseases; students; vaccination coverage; vaccine