AFPHM Monthly Webinar Series

AFPHM conducts educational public health webinars from February to November that explore a wide range of topics and speakers across Public Health Medicine. The webinars are aimed at AFPHM trainees as an additional source of information and learning opportunity.

Interested Fellows and the public are welcome to attend this series.

Registration is required to attend, however trainees can register for the entire series in advance to not miss any sessions. Regular reminders will be sent to registered attendees prior to each webinar.

Topic

Our topic in November is "Vaccine uptake - the role of hesitancy and practical barriers and what to do about them".

Professor Julie Leask will present on vaccine hesitancy - a motivational state of being conflicted or opposed to vaccines - which is a major challenge for immunisation programs. Hesitancy is influenced by people's beliefs, values, experiences and social networks. Understanding why people are hesitant is key to addressing it and maintaining quality immunisation programs – and preventing outright refusal.

This presentation will provide insights into the causes of vaccine hesitancy and refusal, and practical suggestions for addressing this phenomenon at a population health level. Professor Leask will then demonstrate the profound impact that policies, structural barriers and health services have on vaccination uptake, using two case studies to demonstrate how these barriers can be addressed.

Speaker

Professor Julie Leask

Julie Leask is professor and social scientist in the School of Public Health, University of Sydney. She has qualifications in nursing and midwifery, a Master of Public Health (USYD, 1998) and PhD in public health (USYD, 2002).

Professor Leask is co-lead of the Social and Behavioural Insights in Immunisation research group in the Faculty of Medicine and Health, and she currently holds an NHMRC Investigator Leadership Fellowship. She is member of the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute and visiting fellow at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.

She advises and undertakes research with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and US CDC. She sits on the NHMRC Health Research Impact Committee and Health Priority 1 Working Group, and on the NSW Health Behavioural Science and Communications Advisory Group.

Register