What is the concept of compatibility in the Diffusion of Innovation model?

Please watch the first part of the Rx for Survival Series entitled “Disease Warriors
BIG HINT! I bet I’ll ask you about this video on your test and application assignment. You may wish to review the application assignment instructions prior to watching. Generally, consider the following:
(1) Where do you see examples of challenges with vaccine compatibility in this video?
(2) Who served as opinion leaders in the context of the polio vaccine? How do social networks play a role in diffusion?
(3) When the video speaks to a community with high levels of vaccine hesitancy, what characteristics of the innovation seem to need to be improved in order to encourage them to adopt?

Please write a journal entry addressing the questions noted below. You may format in terms of question/answer, rather than writing this as a cohesive paper. However, each answer should take the form of a paragraph, providing detailed information from the film to support your claims.
(1) What is the concept of compatibility in the Diffusion of Innovation model? Given your knowledge of the Diffusion of Innovation model, what evidence did you see of the importance of considering compatibility when attempting to encourage adoption of an innovation (i.e., vaccine)? What specific strategies were used to increase compatibility of vaccines with community members’ beliefs?
(2) The video also provides a useful example of the benefit of social networks. What evidence did you see of social networks – particularly networks developed among schoolchildren – being used to promote vaccination? Given your knowledge of social network theory, what other recommendations would you have for program planners in order to optimize their use of social networks in vaccine dissemination?
(3) Given your knowledge of preventive innovations and the diffusion of innovation model, why do you think vaccination has been slow to diffuse across Vashon Island? What characteristics of the vaccine might you suggest that public health practitioners emphasize to residents of the island in order to encourage adoption?

Last Completed Projects