Both parents play a pivotal role in safeguarding the health and well-being of their families; however, mothers continue to be seen as primary caregivers, decision-makers and influencers when it comes to a child’s healthcare choices. Recognizing this, ZS has partnered with a top global pharmaceutical and healthcare company to take proactive steps in engaging with mothers from varying cultural backgrounds about the importance of prenatal and infant vaccinations.
Where passion changes lives
Anagretel Lozano, a strategy insights and planning consultant based in Chicago, is at the forefront of this partnership. With a passion for preventive care and a keen understanding of cultural dynamics, Anagretel brings invaluable expertise to the table.
“Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants and poses a significant threat to the health of families,” she says. “Prenatal and infant vaccination against RSV is not just a precaution—it’s a proactive step toward safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our communities. By educating mothers about the importance of vaccination, we empower them to protect their babies from this preventable illness, ensuring a healthier start to life.”
It is important that this education reaches families across a variety of different cultural backgrounds. As a Spanish speaker, Anagretel has taken a particular interest in crafting strategies that resonate with Spanish-speaking mothers, ensuring that the message of vaccine importance is effectively communicated and understood.
“From the start of this series of projects, our client has stressed the importance of diversifying our research and outreach,” Anagretel recalls. “Our goal is to mirror census data—since the United States is made up of 18.7% Hispanic or Latino populations, our trials and focus groups must also be at least 18.7% Hispanic or Latino.”
Taking a patient-first approach, Anagretel and her team understand that effective communication begins with listening and learning from the communities we aim to serve. The team organized interviews around busy mothers’ schedules, hosted focus groups in easily accessible locations, diversified their communication tactics and took the necessary steps to ensure that Spanish-speaking mothers can easily participate in this research.
Because of their diligent work, the team was able to uncover key insights to increase vaccine awareness and adoption amongst Spanish-speaking mothers. They unlocked important findings about when mothers start thinking about and preparing for vaccinations and postpartum care. “Being pregnant is overwhelming, and often care from physicians fades out significantly after birth,” Anagretel shares. “Learning when to start informing mothers about vaccinations helps increase adoption.”
Because of the team’s deep understanding of public health and cultural differences, they knew that messaging for Spanish-speaking mothers would have to be tailored to their specific needs and backgrounds. For example, the team understands that this demographic has varying trust in healthcare practitioners, based on previous experiences and socio-economic status. Thanks to their diligent market research, Anagretel and her team optimized their messaging to include important cultural nuances, which helped them craft a successful strategy for commercializing and deploying the RSV vaccine. “There are taglines that would work in English but make no sense in Spanish,” Anagretel recalls. “By working closely with Spanish-speaking mothers, we were able to uncover a new play on words or misunderstandings that would have been otherwise missed.”
By prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility, Anagretel and her team ensured that Spanish-speaking mothers felt valued and heard throughout the research process. This patient-first approach aims to empower all mothers with the necessary knowledge and resources they need to protect their loved ones.
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