Research activities
The COMMVAC project aims to build research knowledge and capacity to use evidence-based strategies for improving communication about childhood vaccinations with parents and communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
| Project objective | Methods to address the objectives |
|---|---|
| 1. To outline the range of communication interventions for childhood vaccination | Systematic mapping of communication interventions |
| 2. To classify these interventions based on their conceptual similarities | Taxonomy of communication interventions |
| 3. To identify high priority topics for systematic reviews of interventions to improve communication around vaccination | Systematic map, taxonomy and stakeholder views of priorities |
| 4. To assess the effects of high priority interventions to improve communication on childhood vaccination | Systematic reviews of high priority interventions |
| 5. To translate the evidence into accessible formats and messages for dissemination to LMICs | User-friendly evidence summaries |
Sub-study 1: Developing a systematic map of interventions for communicating with parents about childhood vaccination
A systematic map of the evidence provides an explicit means to:
- Identify the scope of available communication for vaccination interventions
- Assess the quality of evidence on their effectiveness
- Assess where evidence 'gaps' exist
Systematic maps draw on the same rigorous and transparent methods used for systematic reviews of effects. However, they focus on documenting and describing the range of interventions available rather than their effects. For each communication intervention identified, we will extract descriptive information on:
- The population/s targeted
- Intervention content
- Tools used to deliver the intervention
- Evaluation design (where applicable)
- Outcomes assessed
We will also link these interventions to known barriers to improved vaccination uptake and examine relationships between intervention types and delivery context.
Sub-studies 2 & 3: Developing and populating a taxonomy of interventions to improve communication between providers and parents around childhood vaccination
There is currently no comprehensive approach to organizing, and therefore understanding, communication for vaccination interventions. We will therefore develop a vaccination communication taxonomy – i.e. a classification, organized into groups based on conceptual or practical similarities. This taxonomy will help to:
- Understand the relations between different types of communication interventions in the field
- Facilitate conceptual mapping of these interventions
- Clarify the key purposes and features of interventions, thereby assisting with implementation
The studies identified in sub-study 1 will be used to populate the taxonomy with citations of trials, or less rigorous evaluations where trials do not exist. We will then examine in detail each of the taxonomy categories to ascertain where rigorous effectiveness evaluations exist and where there are major knowledge gaps regarding effects.
Sub-study 4: Identifying high priority topics for systematic reviews of interventions to improve communication around childhood vaccination
The involvement of key stakeholders in setting priorities for systematic reviews will help to ensure the relevance of the review outputs for future service provision. We will hold deliberative fora and other consultations with key stakeholders to discuss and agree on priorities for:
- Systematic reviews
- Further evaluations of interventions
These consultations will be informed by the available evidence as captured in the systematic map and taxonomy (sub-studies 1, 2 and 3).
Sub-study 5: Systematic reviews of evidence for the effectiveness of high priority interventions to improve communication for vaccination
We will conduct systematic reviews on two to three high priority review topics identified in the deliberative dialogues. These reviews will be conducted according to the methods recommended by the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group (www.latrobe.edu.au/chcp/cochrane)
Sub-study 6: Developing 'communicate to vaccinate' evidence summaries
Systematic reviews are generally not easily accessible to policymakers and programme managers. It is also difficult for users to know how much confidence they should place in the evidence, and to assess its implications and local applicability.
Using approaches developed by the partners, we will produce 'Evidence bulletins' summarising the evidence from the COMMVAC systematic reviews on communication for vaccination interventions. Each bulletin will include: key findings; an assessment of the confidence in these findings; and discussion of implementation issues.
The 'implementation' sections will be developed through an iterative process of consultation with potential users. Users will be able to add implementation commentary to online versions of the summaries hosted on the partner websites.
