Centene Highlights Importance of Vaccines to Enhance Member and Community Health

World Immunization Awareness Month, recognized in August, raises awareness of the value of vaccines and how they protect individuals against severe illness. Centene is dedicated to improving access to high-quality healthcare, including through immunization education. Preventive care and vaccination education are key concentrations of our clinical programs, empowering members to stay informed and healthy.

Centene’s Start Smart for Your Baby® program provides new parents with comprehensive information, including well-child visit and immunization schedules. Educational materials also help them access targeted care for their child’s development and build positive relationships with their providers.  

In addition, Centene’s Fluvention® program encourages members to receive the annual flu vaccine. The program focuses on high-risk groups, including pregnant women, children six months to five years, people 65 and older and individuals with chronic conditions, because the vaccine decreases the risk of them developing flu-related complications.

Immunization is also integral to enhancing community health. The Centene Center for Health Transformation (the Center) makes this a priority as it conducts research to better understand and address misinformation and hesitancy surrounding vaccines. A key focus of a recent study by the Center was the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on general attitudes toward immunizations such as the flu vaccination. Additionally, they studied barriers and facilitators to childhood vaccinations during the pandemic. This research showed reserving certain days or times for vaccination appointments or having separate waiting rooms for well-child visits may increase parents’ likelihood to get their children vaccinated. Research-backed, tailored messages were sent to populations with hesitancies to empower them to make informed decisions.

The Center is also helping to address vaccine misinformation amongst Centene’s member-facing staff — utilizing innovative educational techniques to better prepare them to support members. Additionally, Center research guides messaging and interventions to support our providers who members trust the most for advice. A focus across the Center’s work is helping us understand how discrimination impacts immunizations among our members and what interventions can reduce disparities.