Each new finding about inoculation suggests new considerations for inoculation health strategies.

Josh Compton

Scholars have called for increased consideration of inoculation-based health campaign strategies to promote healthier attitudes and behaviors. This essay echoes and expands these calls, calling for new domain applications such as children’s nutrition, body image, and childhood vaccinations. Further, the essay outlines new theoretical developments of inoculation-based health messages, including behavior adaptation and the possibility of inoculation-triggered word-of-mouth communication (WOMC). Used effectively, inoculation theory can guide powerful campaigns and empower people to make healthier decisions.

Compton, J. (2011, April). An inoculation theory check-up: Future directions for inoculation theory-based health campaigns [paper presentation]. Eastern Communication Association, Arlington, VA, United States. *Winner, Top Paper Panel: Applied Communication Division.