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An interdisciplinary team of �ձ�av��Ƶ faculty, including Brittney Meyer, professor of pharmacy practice in the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, has received a $3,500 grant from the Karen McComish Interdisciplinary Faculty Research Program to support a series of film screenings and discussions aimed at addressing a complex social challenge that resists simple solutions or explanations: vaccine hesitancy.

According to the team’s proposal, public health experts recommend a vaccination rate of at least 93% to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella. In 2024, Brookings County’s MMR vaccination rate stood at 90%, while other South Dakota counties in the Brookings area reported rates as low as 73%.

The project, “Creating Dialogue Through Screening Virulent: Cultivating Public Conversations About Vaccine Hesitancy,” will see the team host screenings of the documentary film “Virulent: The Vaccine Wars,” with a post-screening panel discussion on the underlying issues that have facilitated vaccine hesitancy in the modern era, including poor science communication.

A screening for the greater Brookings community is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 11, at the McCrory Gardens Education and Visitor Center. This screening and panel will engage the public in not only understanding what vaccine hesitancy is and why it exists but also in learning to discuss complicated issues with their health care providers, including pharmacists.

“Pharmacists are scientists, and how we talk about things like vaccine safety and effectiveness matter. However, what we mean when we talk about these issues is often different than how the public understands and interprets what we say,” Meyer said. “We come at the question from different places.”

In addition to Meyer, team members include: Jenn Anderson, professor of health communication in the School of Communication and Journalism; Michelle Fleig-Palmer,  associate professor in the Ness School of Management and Economics; Becky Kuehl, professor in the School of Communication and Journalism; Greg Peterson, professor of philosophy and religion and director of the Ethics Lab in the School of American and Global Studies; Traci Gislason, a nursing instructor; and Dr. Andrew Ellsworth, a primary care physician at Avera Health in Brookings.

Meyer said the interdisciplinary nature of the team brings a depth and breadth of expertise that is essential for fostering productive conversations between health care professionals and the public. Several screenings were held. One was specifically for �ձ�av��Ƶ students, and the expertise of the team will help �ձ�av��Ƶ students pursuing health care careers to become better science communicators.

“We hope that we can have discussions with screening attendees about how you ask questions of your doctors. Where do you go to find good information? How do you ask a question if the health care provider is not clearly communicating, or if you are unsure of what they mean?” Meyer said.

“We look forward to engaging in community dialogue about vaccine hesitancy and misinformation,” she said.

Light refreshments will be served at the May 11 public screening and discussion.