Closing the Vaccination Gap for Adults With Chronic Conditions

Adults living with chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and compromised immune systems face higher risks from vaccine-preventable diseases.

For these patients, influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can trigger potential emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and downstream events that disrupt daily life. Certain chronic conditions also place people at higher risk of developing shingles, which can mean weeks — in some cases years — of excruciating pain.

Despite these risks, vaccine uptake remains uneven. To address these gaps, we must first understand the barriers.

Information Overload, Access, and Self-identification

Public health groups have identified these barriers to vaccination among adults with chronic conditions:

• Misinformation makes it difficult to discern fact from fiction
• Access challenges due to language barriers, proximity to care, insurance coverage, and out-of-pocket costs
• Low risk awareness as many adults don’t self-identify as “high risk” and therefore delay vaccination
• Vaccine fatigue, particularly for nonseasonal vaccines like shingles

To overcome these hurdles, GSK’s COiMMUNITY Initiative funds public health groups working to close adult vaccination gaps; several specifically target adults with chronic diseases.

Linking Heart Health with Respiratory Vaccines

The American Heart Association launched a bilingual national RSV awareness campaign that used radio public service announcements to target metro areas with higher cardiovascular risk and larger Black and Hispanic populations, where vaccination rates are typically lower. The Association also delivered social media posts, website content, and newsletters to its heart-conscious audience, educating readers about the link between RSV and an increased risk of hospitalization for adults with cardiovascular disease.

By using simple, easy-to-understand language and directly addressing the heightened risk of serious illness from vaccine-preventable diseases, the American Heart Association created a greater sense of urgency.

RSV Education for People with Chronic Lung Disease

The American Lung Association’s national RSV campaign focused on older adults with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly among Black and Hispanic communities. Interactive elements, like a risk self-assessment and surveys, engaged audiences and revealed persistent misconceptions like “RSV is only for babies.” Understanding these misconceptions could guide targeted educational content and myth busting.

Another key insight was that although most vaccinations occur in pharmacies, that’s not where most people are learning about vaccines. Recommendations in clinical settings remain the primary driver for vaccination among the American Lung Association’s community.

Embedding Vaccine Messages in Everyday Asthma and Allergy Education

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) wove their vaccine education into everyday asthma and allergy programming, from Asthma Peak Month to pregnancy content. AAFA used plain-language content to reach communities and individuals affected by asthma and allergies.

AAFA deployed a full multichannel marketing campaign using a mix of formats to communicate key messages: short-form videos for social media like “Ask the Allergist,” PSAs during daytime TV, print handouts for clinics, websites and blogs, podcast episodes, press releases, and media coverage.

And it seems to be working. AAFA’s community reports above-average vaccination rates, which they attribute to consistent, trusted messaging delivered in multiple formats and languages.

Their biggest takeaway from these efforts was that vaccine education is most effective when it’s multi-layered and embedded in broader health education campaigns, empowering patients to talk with their providers about eligibility and safety.

Meeting People Where They Listen

The Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF)’s Informed Immunity podcast delivers plainspoken, evidence-based vaccine education to 1.4 million people managing chronic illness.

Its latest season focused entirely on adult respiratory vaccines. Listeners said they valued the jargon-free approach and peer voices that built trust and aided family conversations.

Shingles Awareness at the Right Time, in the Right Format

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) filled a shingles vaccine education gap with Q&A-style articles and social posts.

Key insights included: Vaccine fatigue is more prevalent than outright hesitancy; education campaigns were more effective in the spring versus the fall (when flu/COVID messages dominate); rural access remains a challenge; and neutral, evidence-based information fosters trust.

Lessons for Clinicians and Public Health Teams:

1. Make vaccines part of chronic disease management. Address vaccines the same way you address blood pressure, A1C, inhalers, and statin use — as another routine disease management tool in the toolbox.
2. Communicate clearly. Replace clinical jargon with everyday language and make risks feel real and personal to drive urgency.
3. Meet people where they are. Short-form video, podcasts, and radio PSAs reach people where they’re already going for information and entertainment. Influencer-style and peer-to-peer content can make health information more engaging. Localized, bilingual content delivered by trusted community leaders helps reach high-risk groups.
4. Timing is everything. Spread vaccination efforts throughout the year. For shingles and other nonseasonal vaccines, spring offers less competition for attention than fall. For RSV, flu, and COVID-19, late summer/early fall remains optimal to precede surges.

From Awareness to Action

Vaccines are a high-impact, low-burden intervention that can help prevent severe disease and protect against complications.

But patients might need a nudge. The work of these advocacy groups demonstrates that intentional education and outreach can drive action.

Clinicians can help by integrating vaccine discussions into chronic disease care and guiding patients to trustworthy resources.

Resources to Share with Your Patients

*All work executed by COiMMUNITY grant recipients was done so independently without GSK oversight.

The MedPage Today Editorial team was not involved in the creation of this content.

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