The Effect of Time-Slot Scheduling on Flu Vaccination Rates

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of this project is to see if encouraging an individual to privately choose in advance a narrow time window in which to obtain a flu vaccination shot affects the likelihood that he or she will become vaccinated.

Detailed Description
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Influenza causes 36,000 U.S. deaths per year, but influenza immunization rates average just 28%. Behavioral nudges may increase the effectiveness of immunization reminder mailers at little or no added cost. 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. We study whether adding a planning prompt to a vaccination reminder mailer increases immunization rates.

Official Title
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Effect of Time-Slot Scheduling on Flu Vaccination Rates

Conditions
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Seasonal Influenza

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Planning Prompt
* Behavioral: Default Appointment
* Behavioral: Control


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: seasonal influenza vaccine indications according to the CDC employees of partner corporations executing 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

Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: 1 Hour Planning Prompt<br> | Behavioral: Planning Prompt<br>* Patients were prompted to write down a planned date (and in some cases time) for receiving a flu shot.<br>|
| Experimental: 2 Hour Planning Prompt<br> | Behavioral: Planning Prompt<br>* Patients were prompted to write down a planned date (and in some cases time) for receiving a flu shot.<br>|
| Experimental: 1 Day Planning Prompt<br> | Behavioral: Planning Prompt<br>* Patients were prompted to write down a planned date (and in some cases time) for receiving a flu shot.<br>|
| Experimental: Default Planning Prompt<br> | Behavioral: Default Appointment<br>* Patients were given a suggested date and time for receiving a flu shot.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control<br> | Behavioral: Control<br>* Patients were provided with basic information (present in all conditions) about when and where they could receive a flu shot, but they were given no further treatment.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Receipt of 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, nudge, implementations intentions, vaccination