University of Idaho

Promoting Vaccine Safety through Research: Grant Application

Caleb Cotton

10 April 2016
Grant Application:
United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Sponsor ID: PA-15-312, PA-15-313
CFDA Number 93.283 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Investigations and Technical Assistance

Abstract
Vaccination rates in the United States are on the decline (cdc.gov). Vocal
anti-vaccination groups and a lack of education contribute to the propensity
for younger parents to skip scheduled vaccines. Although many contagious
diseases have been eradicated in the U.S., incidents of contagions
reemerging around the globe make the possibility of an epidemic among
unvaccinated people in the U.S. conceivable. Increased immigration and
concentrated population centers provide ideal conditions for a disease
outbreak. Many states require children to be vaccinated before they can
attend public schools, parents have the ability to opt-out of vaccinations for
their children on personal or religious grounds. Unfortunately, children are
the most susceptible and vulnerable to contracting infectious diseases
(who.int). Unvaccinated people can spread disease to young children and
infants before they are vaccinated. Unvaccinated mothers can spread
diseases to their newborn children. To promote vaccination, this application
presents a plan to develop an easy-to-use website where statistical
information on vaccine safety is stored and readily-available, doctors and
health professionals can invalidate misinformation and encourage proper
vaccination. The website is a portion of an overall communication plan to
increase vaccine safety awareness.

Project Description

Background
In the United States, vaccination rates among children with young parents
are on the decline. Vocal anti-vaccination organizations and celebrities
speaking out against vaccinating children and infants are contributing to the
decline. While many studies have shown that vaccines are safe,
misinformation about vaccine safety is still extensive and often referenced.
To reverse the decline, a multi-faceted approach to information distribution
will be used to reach young parents and young adults who are likely to
become parents. Using social media, public service announcements (PSA),
information packets at doctors offices, and celebrity endorsements, the truth
about vaccine safety will become more prevalent than misinformation about
vaccine-disease links. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) will be promoted
along with stories from parents with children that contracted a
communicable disease. Images of disease-stricken individuals will give a
stark reminder of the importance of vaccinating.
This portion of the project will focus exclusively on internet-based
communication and data collection, directed towards parents or soon-to-be
parents in the 18-29 year old range. Since 18-29 year olds are the most likely
to believe falsehoods and misinformation about vaccines. One common myth
is that vaccines cause autism. People from 18-29 years old are the most
likely to use social media (pewresearch.org), therefore, they are the primary
focus of the information campaign. Building the information repository and
network of vaccine supporters will direct those with questions about vaccines
to proper information. Using information gathered through prior research,

statistics about vaccine safety will be calculated and used to support other
vaccine-related studies. All other vaccine outreach communiques promoted
through the website will direct people back to the website for information
and support.

Use of Funding
The funds from this grant will be used to promote the first phase of the
project. Phase I includes building and maintaining a website where doctors
and health professionals can support vaccination programs, publish real
research results, and link young parents to vaccine information via social
media. Statistical analyses of current research will also be performed and
distributed via the website to promote vaccine safety. Research will be
presented in a way that readers can easily understand and the results will be
translated without having to read the entire research paper and technical
jargon. Celebrity endorsements will also be linked to the site to attract
followers and spread the message. Connecting other media such as YouTube,
Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to the page will actively promote vaccines
and show the dangers of not vaccinating young children and infants.
Statistical analyses will be performed on different aspects of data that have
already been collected. Statistics concerning adverse effects of vaccinations
and disease rates in the United States will be compared to those in lessdeveloped nations to assess the efficacy of vaccination programs already in
place. These data will then be available to the public, doctors, schools, and
pharmaceutical companies so vaccination efforts can be focused where
needed. The statistical analyses will be tailored to assist researchers with
new studies as well.
The website will contain, along with vaccine safety information, resources
such as information about free vaccination clinics and opportunities to
support vaccination programs in low-income areas. Any new vaccine studies
4

will also be posted to keep visitors up-to-date on the most current trends and
information. A community forum for parents to talk to professionals and
other parents will be hosted on the site so that questions can be answered
and myths can be dispelled. Along with healthcare professionals posting
answers to community boards, a directory of doctor-volunteers who
specialize in contagious diseases will be available to visitors.
The bulk of the funds will be used to ensure the website is functional and can
be easily promoted throughout social media. Promoting vaccine research and
statistical analyses based on research will be part of the website. The
remainder of the funds will be used to hire a technology professional to
maintain the website after it is built and add new content as necessary.

Objectives
The objective of the website is to promote vaccine safety supported by
statistical analyses based on research. These analyses will be presented in a
way that will encourage parents to vaccinate their children. Educating
parents about vaccines and reducing infant mortality by increasing
vaccination rates among children with young parents is the primary goal.
Program success will be based on increase in vaccination rates among
kindergarteners. Western states have the lowest vaccination rates among
kindergarteners with nearly 5% of students unvaccinated (cdc.gov). Eastern
states have 1-2% of kindergarteners unvaccinated (cdc.gov). A 0.25%
increase in vaccination rates in western states and 0.1% increase in eastern
states by the year 2020 will indicate success.

Outcomes and Benefits

By providing resources to the public, misinformation can be corrected
through research results and powerful statistical analyses. Better decisions

can be made regarding vaccinating children. Reduced incidents of contagious

disease contraction and the dangers of an epidemic are also reduced.
Creating an electronic warehouse of vaccine research and statistical analyses
based on the research will help scientists focus on areas that need additional
study. Saving lives from preventable diseases is the biggest benefit of all.

References

______"10 Facts on Immunization." WHO. Web. 26 Mar. 2016

______ "Social Networking Fact Sheet." Pew Research Center Internet Science
Tech RSS. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
______ "Vaccines." WHO. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
______ "World Immunization Week 2015: Close the Immunization Gap." World
Health Organization. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
CDC. Programmatic strategies to increase vaccination rates assessment
and feedback of provider-based vaccination coverage
information. MMWR 1996;45:219-220
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What Would Happen if We
Stopped Vaccinations? 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.

Budget

Category

Costs

Total Costs

Webpage Domain

$600 for domain

registration

$600

Webpage Renewal

$16 per year X 10

$160

Webpage and Web

Designer Costs

$10,000 with one year

training and content
support X 3

$30,000

Statistician

$75,000 per year

$75,000

Content Editor

$55,000 per year

$110,000

Social Media
Coordinator
Computers and
Software

$37,000 per year

$74,000

$2,000 with Statistics

Software X 5

$10,000

Database Connections

$25,000 per year X 3

$75,000

Contingency

$25,000

Total:

$399,760

Biographical Information

I graduated from Adams State University in Alamosa, CO in 2006 with a

Bachelors of Science in Wildlife Biology. To obtain the degree, classes in
genetics, microbiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, statistics,
physiological zoology and animal behavior were required and piqued my
interest in communicable diseases.
My work history includes biological work with the Bureau of Land
Management, Trout Unlimited, the Nevada Department of Wildlife and
volunteer work with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Currently I am a Senior
Environmental Coordinator/Wildlife Biologist with one of the largest gold
miners in the world, Newmont Mining Corporation.

Working as an Environmental Coordinator, I deal with complex environmental

regulations and permitting and act as a liaison between public stakeholders
and the Company. Preventing the release of contaminants to protect the
environment and public health is a major part of my job.
Now I am in my second semester of graduate school, working towards a
Professional Science Masters in Environmental Contamination. Learning how
to mitigate disease-causing contaminants is similar to mitigating bacteria
and virus-caused diseases. My professional goal is to prevent environmental
degradation and promote mining as a sustainable, environmentally conscious
industry.