Altruistically Framed Messages and Impact on Parents' Reported Willingness to Immunize Their Children

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of different message framing (i.e., communication strategies) on parents' intentions to vaccinate their infants for measles, mumps, and rubella. We hypothesize that information specifically emphasizing various benefits of MMR vaccination will have different impacts on parents' reported levels of intention.

Detailed Description
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The purpose of this study is to investigate attitudes concerning the Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR) vaccine among adult parents in the United States. Attitudes will be assessed via a web-based survey administered by Survey Sampling International (SSI). Project sample size is 1,000, all to be recruited by SSI. The survey will take no more than 20-30 minutes to complete. The survey questions and response options attached. With the exception of demographic questions (e.g., age, sex, race) at the end of the survey, questions will not be able to be skipped because 1) the survey questions primarily assess attitudes and beliefs, 2) the questions are not of a sensitive nature, 3) responses are anonymous, 4) respondents have indicated their desire and willingness to respond to surveys like this by virtue of their enrollment as an SSI panel member, 5) there is no pressure for respondents to complete the survey, 6) respondents may cease responding to the survey at any time after they begin. Respondents will be asked to provide information about their children's ages and sex, as well as historical recall information about their past vaccine decisions for their child/children. All respondents will receive general information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding MMR and the MMR vaccine (taken from the CDC's Vaccine Information Sheet), followed by summarized information about MMR and the MMR vaccine. A quarter of respondents will receive only this information. The other three-quarters of respondents will also receive additional benefit information that either underscores: a) the MMR vaccine's benefit to the child who receives it, b) the MMR vaccine's benefits to society as a whole, or c) the MMR vaccine's benefit to both the child who receives it as well as to society as a whole. The purpose of this additional benefit information (which will randomly vary among respondents) is to compare people's attitudes when they're given this information about the MMR vaccine's benefit to people's attitudes when they receive the general information. This information is noted in the attached survey, and mimics the information that parents are typically given in clinic settings regarding MMR and the MMR vaccine. The purpose of this study is to systematically assess people's responses to this information, which is already offered in clinical settings and is publicly available via the CDC.

Official Title
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Altruistically Framed Messages and Impact on Parents' Reported Willingness to Immunize Their Children

Conditions
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Parental Vaccine Intentions for Their Children

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Benefits to Child
* Behavioral: Benefits to Society
* Behavioral: Benefits to Child and Society
* Behavioral: CDC VIS


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18 years of age or older fluent in English parent or primary caregiver to at least 1 child 17 years of age or younger Exclusion Criteria: not fluent in English younger than 18 years of age not a parent or primary caregiver to someone 17 years of age or younger

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

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: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Benefits to Child<br>CDC VIS + message emphasizing benefits of MMR vaccine to child | Behavioral: Benefits to Child<br>* CDC VIS + message emphasizing benefits to child of MMR vaccine<br>Behavioral: CDC VIS<br>* CDC Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)<br>|
| Active Comparator: CDC VIS<br>CDC Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) | Behavioral: CDC VIS<br>* CDC Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)<br>|
| Experimental: Benefits to Society<br>CDC VIS + message emphasizing benefits of MMR vaccine to society | Behavioral: Benefits to Society<br>* CDC VIS + message emphasizing benefits to society of MMR vaccine<br>Behavioral: CDC VIS<br>* CDC Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)<br>|
| Experimental: Benefits to Child and Society<br>CDC VIS + message emphasizing benefits of MMR vaccine to both child and to society | Behavioral: Benefits to Child and Society<br>* CDC VIS + message emphasizing benefits both to child and to society of MMR vaccine<br>Behavioral: CDC VIS<br>* CDC Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Parental MMR Vaccine Intentions for Their Children | Participants report their willingness to vaccinate their infant for measles, mumps, and rubella on an 11-point scale anchored at 0(not at all likely) and 100(extremely likely) per the following prompt: On the scale below, please indicate how likely you are to have your baby receive the MMR vaccine. | Outcome (MMR intention) is measured immediately after participant receives message; measurement is immediate (not longitudnal follow-up) |