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      The vaccinating act and making decisions about it can lead to uncertainty, fear and distress if not accompanied by a good information and communication process. Both the perception of the risk and the doubt in decision-making are a cause for suffering.

      Counselling, as using an interactive help process that focuses on the feelings and concerns of people and their meaningful environment to help with coping and problem-solving ability; active listening, as paying close attention and attach importance to the verbal and nonverbal messages of the people we attend. These are actions that can help clarify each person's values in order to facilitate better and effective decision-making.

    • What is good counselling

    • What constitutes counselling? Tiedosto
    • Elements of good counselling Tiedosto

      Keep in mind to:

      • Not to provide too many information
      • Correct the wrong information specially with immune-compromised people
      • Give extra safe references or written material
      • Pay attention to emotions
      • Respond to concerns

    • Ethics and counselling

      Ethics guide choices made. In counselling, ethics underpin the nature and course of actions taken by helping professions.

      The person is the central element who suffers, goes through a problem situation, or wants to improve, and who possesses and displays the necessary autonomy to create new conditions or living more adequately what cannot change. Being non-judgmental - is the requirement that the counsellor avoid imposing his/her values on the situation with unconditional positive regard: attitude towards clients despite any judgments which may have been made.

      This conception connects with the ethical obligation to respect human rights, accepting personal, cultural, and socioeconomic differences.

      Ethics including ethical codes and principles aim to balance the power and ensure that the counsellor operates for the good of the persons and not for self, giving an autonomous decision-making with confidentiality, dignity and non-judgment.

      It is required to look at ethics from a holistic perspective – body (the environment, structures, systems, policies, laws, regulations, moral codes, and societal norms), mind (ethical thinking, philosophy), heart (relationships, emotions, values) and spirit (unknowing, unconscious). A complete awareness of the ethics of a situation can occur when all are taken into consideration.

      Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors (2009). Ethics and Ethical codes in counselling. https://www.counsellingconnection.com/index.php/2009/12/08/what-are-ethics/#:~:text=Ethics%20determine%20choices%20made.,behave%20in%20an%20ethical%20manner.

      American Counseling Association (2014). 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf


    • Counselling different population groups

    • Immunocompromised people

      Individuals with different immuno conditions and immuno competences need vaccines because they are at an increased risk of severe infections.  Many people due to desease or aging are undervaccinated but no general consensus is possible. Recommendations from research facilitate physician decisions and ensure the best immune protection with the lowest risk to the health of the patient.

      Martire, B., Azzari, C., Badolato, R., Canessa, C., Cirillo, E., Gallo, V., Graziani, S., Lorenzini, T., Milito, C., Panza, R., Moschese, V. (2018). Vaccination in immunocompromised host: Recommendations of Italian Primary Immunodeficiency Network Centers (IPINET). Vaccine, 26(34), 3541-3554.

      Cordero, E., Goycochea-Valdivia, W., Mendez-Echevarria, A., Allende, L.M., Alsina, L., Bravo García-Morato, M., Gil-Herrera, J., Gudiol, C., Len-Abad, O., López-Medrano, F., Moreno-Pérez, D., Muñoz, P., Olbrich, P., Sánchez-Ramón, S., Soler-Palacín, P., Aguilera Cros, C., Arostegui, J.I., Badell Serra, I., Carbone, J., Fortún, J., …Neth, O. (2020). Executive Summary of the Consensus Document on the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Primary Immunodeficiencies. Enfermedades infecciosas y microbiologia clinica (English ed.) 38(9), 438-443.


    • Counselling parents about their child's vaccinations Tiedosto
    • Counselling adolescents Tiedosto
    • Counselling adults Tiedosto
    • Video: Example of vaccination counselling situation Verkko-osoite

    • Self-test

    • Self test about Counselling H5P - Interaktiivinen sisältö

    • Further reading

    • Further reading about Counselling people Tiedosto



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