The Effect of Fact Versus Myth Messages on Receipt of Influenza Vaccination

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01009645
• Recruitment Status: Completed
• First Posted: November 9, 2009
• Results First Posted: September 18, 2012
• Last Update Posted: September 18, 2012
• Sponsor: Northwestern University
• Collaborator: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
• Information provided by (Responsible Party): Kenzie Cameron, Northwestern University

Study Description

Brief Summary:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether message design of educational materials increases vaccination rates among participants.

Condition or disease	Intervention/treatment	Phase
Influenza Vaccination	Behavioral: Fact Only Education Message; Behavioral: Fact and Myth Educational Message; Behavioral: Fact, Myth, Why Educational Message; Behavioral: Control Educational Message	Not Applicable

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional (Clinical Trial)
• Actual Enrollment: 125 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single (Participant)
• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Official Title: The Effect of Fact Versus Myth Messages on Receipt of Influenza Vaccination
• Study Start Date: September 2009
• Actual Primary Completion Date: April 2010
• Actual Study Completion Date: April 2010

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/treatment
Experimental: Fact Only; The educational message used will contain facts only.	Behavioral: Fact Only Education Message; Participants randomized to this intervention will receive an educational brochure listing the facts of the influenza vaccine.; Other Name: Fact Only
Experimental: Fact and Myth; The educational material seen by this arm will contain facts and myths only.	Behavioral: Fact and Myth Educational Message; Participants randomized to this intervention will receive an educational brochure listing the facts and myths of the influenza vaccine.; Other Name: Fact & Myth
Experimental: Fact, Myth, Why; The educational material seen by this arm will contain myths, facts, and refutations of the myths.	Behavioral: Fact, Myth, Why Educational Message; Participants randomized to this intervention will receive an educational brochure listing the facts, myths, and refutation of the myths of the influenza vaccine.; Other Name: Fact, Myth, Why
Placebo Comparator: Control; This arm will receive fact/myth educational materials originally developed and used by the CDC.	Behavioral: Control Educational Message; Participants randomized to this intervention will receive an educational brochure created and used by the CDC in a previous influenza season.; Other Name: Control

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures :

1. Influenza Vaccination [ Time Frame: 1 week following randomization ]
   The primary outcome is receipt of influenza vaccination at appointment directly following the post-test. A pre-test was completed by participants during a telephone interview that occurred approximately two weeks prior to a scheduled clinic appointment. The post-test was completed via an in-person interview by participants immediately prior to their scheduled appointment. That is, the participants met with the Research Assistant, completed the post-test, and then proceeded to see their physician for a previously scheduled office visit.

Secondary Outcome Measures :

1. Recall Accuracy [ Time Frame: 1 week following receipt of message ]
   Participants were given 8 statements about the flu/flu shot and asked to recall if they had seen the statement on the message they received via FedEx. Participants responded that statement had been "presented as a fact," "presented as a myth," "presented, but I don't recall if it was a fact or a myth," or "not presented." Participants scored 1 for each correct answer; 0 for each incorrect answer or for response "I don't recall." Recall accuracy was calculated among each message format, range for recall accuracy was 0 - 8 with 0 indicating no correct answers and 8 representing 100% accuracy. Thus units of measurement are "units on a scale" to represent participant scores out of 8 on the recall items.

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Sexes Eligible for Study: All
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participant must have a scheduled appointment at least 6 weeks in advance in either the GIM or Geriatrics clinics at NMFF.
• Participant must be a patient of Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation.
• Participant does not intend to receive the influenza vaccine.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participant has a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia
• Participant has received an influenza vaccination during either the last influenza season or the current.
• The scheduled visit is the participant's first time being seen by this doctor (appointment is to establish care in the clinic).

Contacts and Locations

Locations

United States, Illinois

Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation General Internal Medicine and Geriatric Clinics

Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611

Sponsors and Collaborators

Northwestern University

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

More Information

• Responsible Party: Kenzie Cameron, Research Associate Professor, Northwestern University
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01009645
• Other Study ID Numbers: Fact versus Myth Messages; 1R21AG031470-01 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
• First Posted: November 9, 2009
• Results First Posted: September 18, 2012
• Last Update Posted: September 18, 2012
• Last Verified: August 2012

Keywords provided by Kenzie Cameron, Northwestern University:

education; vaccination; preventive service; Prevention & Control

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Influenza, Human; Respiratory Tract Infections; Infections; Orthomyxoviridae Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases