#2328_WSLHD_CPH_YIR 2023_4A_WEB

HEALTH PREVENTION

High school student vaccinations This year, the School Vaccination Program team: Administered 28,225 vaccines. Visited 112 high schools in western Sydney. Most schools had 3 visits during the year.

Annette Whitten, Immunisation Nurse (High School Vaccination Program)

“A nice thing about working in the high school vaccination program is the funny, clever and always surprising things students say. One memorable occasion was when a year 10 student came forward to ask me how she could get the meningococcal ACWY vaccine. Between her four parents (step and guardians) and constant absenteeism due to attending two schools, we managed to gain consent and vaccinate

Conducted additional influenza clinics at 7 schools for specific purposes.

her. We made it fun and congratulated her for being so proactive.”

HEALTH PROMOTION

Vaping prevention messages developed with high school students

“Vaping is a toxic habit, ghost it!” This is what young people had to say through a co-design project with a local western Sydney high school in early 2023. In partnership with WSLHD’s Corporate Communications and Prevention Education and Research Unit teams, we engaged students in a workshop to discuss vaping harms and asked them to design, script and act in videos to share prevention messages to their peers. 2023 outcomes: Two videos (‘ Would Your Grandma? ’ and ‘Toxic Friend’) were developed, along with three Q&A videos featuring students. They were launched on World No Tobacco Day (31 May) via WSLHD social media accounts and shared widely across western Sydney and NSW networks until October 2023. Student participants found the co-design process engaging and increased their knowledge about the harmful impacts of vapes. The videos were collectively viewed over 1,000 times.

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WSLHD Centre for Population Health Year in Review 2023