Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit – AVAT

Vaccination is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful infectious diseases and is a key component of healthy ageing. Yet globally, rates of adult vaccination are suboptimal. Targeted vaccination campaigns for adults rarely have a focus beyond influenza and omit the mortality and life-altering impact of other vaccine-preventable diseases, such as pneumococcal pneumonia, pertussis and shingles.

The Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit (AVAT) responds to an urgent call from stakeholder and advocacy groups. It is designed as a reference policy toolkit to help build the capacity and capability to influence and shape adult vaccination policy at local, national, and global levels through an evidence-to-action model of engagement across sectors and disciplines.

The AVAT is a collection of authoritative and adaptable resources designed around four key policy issues: vaccine pathways, expansion of the pool of vaccine administrators, effective targeted adult vaccination campaigns, and an environment that strives for vaccination equality.

The Adult vaccination advocacy toolkit is supported by an unrestricted grant by Pfizer Global.

Driving Policy Change through the Targeted Accelerated Implementation of the Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit (AVAT)

An expert meeting was held in Prague, Czech Republic to pilot-test the AVAT and ensure the feasibility of its implementation at a national level, while assessing components of the policy toolkit for its effectiveness in supporting adult vaccination advocacy. Through dialogue with discipline and sector-diverse experts, including those from long-term care and social service settings, geriatricians, and industry, this meeting resulted in multiple outputs and assets to build capacity for advocacy while providing examples of how the toolkit can be used to create resources for such initiatives.

Download the Executive Summary

AVAT Toolkit and Webinar

Download the resources below:

Adult Vaccination Advocacy Report

The International Federation on Ageing

Download the Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit here

Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit – Webinar and Webinar Presentation

Empowering civil society to address policies that constitute barriers for improving adult vaccination rates.

To launch of the Adult vaccination advocacy toolkit the International Federation on Ageing was pleased to host the webinar “Empowering civil society to address policies that constitute barriers for improving adult vaccination rates.”

The goal of this webinar is to empower civil society to take action to advocate for changes in these policies to create a world of healthy older people whose rights to safe and appropriate vaccines are protected and respected through programs that hold high the principles of prevention, access, and equity.

The International Federation on Ageing

Webinar Recording Webinar Presentation

Imperative of Expanding Vaccination Pathways and Providers

Gonçalo Sousa Pinto
FIP Lead for Practice Development and Transformation

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Empowering Civil Society to Address Policies that Constitute Barriers for Improving Adult Vaccination Rates

Dr. Julia Tainijoki-Seyer
Medical and Advocacy Advisor, World Medical Association

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AVAT Toolkit – Key Messages

The IFA has created the following key messages to help organizations for older adults share impactful information to their members.

We must create an environment that informs, simplifies, and streamlines the step-by-step process for individuals and populations to be vaccinated

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Part of any national immunization plan is to have an adequate supply of qualified vaccinators in relation to the nature and density of the population.

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Targeted public health messages on vaccinations are vital to building and maintaining a healthy society.

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Understanding and executing the steps to address situational and societal barriers reflecting social determinants of health (SDH) is crucial to reducing immunization inequities amongst older persons.

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Download the AVAT Toolkit

Press release

The IFA invites you to use and promote the Adult vaccination advocacy toolkit and be part of a global community that unites to improve the uptake of adult vaccination. Together we can promote health and well-being and positively change the immunization landscape for all, especially older people who are most vulnerable to serious life-altering complications from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Download the media kit below:

Press Release

Backgrounder

Fact Sheet

Media Kit

Pneumonia Vaccination in LTC settings in Canada Banner

Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality in Canada. There is a high prevalence of this disease amongst populations that are most at-risk of serious complications from infection, such as older adults in long-term care settings.

The ‘Driving the agenda of pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination in at-risk populations in community and long-term care’ study was conducted to understand the status of existing public health policies and campaigns on pneumococcal disease in community and long-term care settings and its implications on the uptake of pneumococcal vaccination. The report highlights policy gaps for pneumococcal vaccination across long-term care settings in Canada and accordingly provides recommendations for policy improvements.

Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality in Canada. There is a high prevalence of this disease amongst populations that are most at-risk of serious complications from infection, such as older adults in long-term care settings. Check out the technical report to learn more.

Download the Technical report

27 April 2023, Toronto, ON – The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is proud to release findings from a recent study entitled Driving the agenda of pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination in at-risk populations in community and long-term care. Check out the technical report to learn more.