Seizing Opportunities: H1N1 and Needle Phobia
By Nick Seaver, February 23, 2010
Even though H1N1 feels like a distant memory, in the Washington DC area, school children just completed getting their H1N1 shots through the schools in January. And as public health officials say, we should all still get our H1N1 shot. Obviously the ebb and flow of flu season is reflected in how the media covers it. Sometimes front page, sometimes not.
One researcher, Dr. Gary Walco, pediatric psychologist and Director of Pain Medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital, kept an eye on the news and when H1N1 was at its peak, he moved in on the opportunity. Dr. Walco’s issue, the undertreated pain in children from multiple shots, is not always a hot topic. But H1N1 and flu in general is.. So he and his public relations officer proposed new story angle to the near-daily H1N1 stories running on his local television station in Seattle, King 5 News. With the release of the new H1N1 vaccine, they saw an opportunity to inform parents of how to deal with the real pain and fear of pain from H1N1 vaccinations—and the dozens of other vaccines children receive in the early years. His public relations officer called the producer and within a week, Dr. Walco was interviewed. The next week, and the story ran.
Dr. Walco seized an opportunity. For years he has worked to make sure parents know that medicines and behavioral techniques are available to prevent pain, or lessen it, when it comes time for shots. He knows that it is often a challenge to get parents’ attention about this. But like other effective communicators and advocates, Dr. Walco looks at the news, trends, and what’s popular and understands how his message fits into larger issues.
Researchers, scientists, doctors—really anyone with an issue for which they advocate—need to recognize that their cause is most likely not a top priority for most. Fitting into the news of the day, rather than trying to demand a separate story in a world with breaking news on Afghanistan, H1N1 and the economy, ensures messages will be heard even in a world of competing priorities.