Lessons from the storm: evaluating the effectiveness of a post-tornado tetanus awareness campaign in Nebraska

Tetanus vaccination is crucial after storms due to the high injury risk during cleanup. This study evaluated a tetanus awareness vaccination campaign and accompanying media coverage launched 24 hours after a tornado in Douglas County, Nebraska.

The Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) collaborated with community organizations and engaged media outlets to design and implement the campaign. The campaign used a multimodal approach, including press releases to media outlets (TV, radio, and newspapers), social media posts, a community Facebook group, and free tetanus clinics operated in partnership with local health organizations and community centers. A posttest-only comparison groups design administered 2 weeks after the tornado examined differences between Douglas County adults (n = 87) and adults from four comparison states (CO, MD, MO, TX; n = 424) in vaccination status, awareness of tetanus shot importance, awareness of tetanus shot locations, and perceived severity of tetanus score. Statistical analysis included logistic and linear regressions.

Compared to comparison state adults, Douglas County residents had greater awareness of tetanus shot importance (AOR = 3.79, 95% CI = 1.98-7.23, P < 0.001), tetanus shot locations (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.01-2.96, P = 0.049), and perceived tetanus severity (adjusted mean difference (β) = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.03-1.25, P = 0.041).

A rapidly launched post-tornado information campaign and accompanying media coverage effectively raised awareness of the importance of tetanus vaccination. The collaborative approach by DCHD highlights the potential value of multi-source information dissemination during disaster recovery.