The Effect of a Planning Prompt on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Rates

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The investigators conducted a 3-arm randomized controlled trial to test whether a low-cost planning intervention could increase influence vaccination rates.

Detailed Description
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Seasonal influenza causes 20,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Past psychology research has demonstrated that prompting people to form an implementation plan of the form, When situation x arises, I will implement response y, increases attainment of desired goals because the desired behavior is linked to a concrete future moment. This type of planning prompt is a nudge in the direction of desired behavior that can be implemented at minimal expense and does not restrict individual autonomy. We conducted a 3-arm randomized controlled trial to test whether a low-cost planning intervention could increase influence vaccination rates. We show that planning prompts can be successfully applied to improve health behaviors.

Official Title
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The Effect of a Planning Prompt on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Rates

Conditions
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Seasonal Influenza

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Planning Prompt
* Behavioral: Control Condition


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Vaccine indications according to fall 2009 CDC criteria (age >= 50 or chronic disease Employee at partner corporation that implemented the study Exclusion Criteria: None

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Time Plan Condition<br>A basic reminder mailing prompted each subject to write down a planned date and time for getting their flu shot. | Behavioral: Planning Prompt<br>* A prompt to write down a planned date (or date and time) for getting a flu shot<br>|
| Experimental: Date Plan Condition<br>A basic reminder mailing prompted each subject to write down a planned date for getting their flu shot. | Behavioral: Planning Prompt<br>* A prompt to write down a planned date (or date and time) for getting a flu shot<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control Condition<br>A basic reminder mailing prompted each subject to receive a flu shot. | Behavioral: Control Condition<br>* A basic reminder mailing prompted each subject to get their flu shot.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Receipt of 2009 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination |  | up to 30 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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seasonal influenza, behavioral economics, implementation intentions, planning prompt, nudge