Seasonal Influenza
Conditions
Keywords
seasonal influenza, behavioral economics, implementation intentions, planning prompt, nudge
Brief summary
The investigators conducted a 3-arm randomized controlled trial to test whether a low-cost planning intervention could increase influence vaccination rates.
Detailed description
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.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALPlanning Prompt
A prompt to write down a planned date (or date and time) for getting a flu shot
BEHAVIORALControl Condition
A basic reminder mailing prompted each subject to get their flu shot.
Sponsors
Harvard University
Yale University
Stanford University
University of Pennsylvania
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
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
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Receipt of 2009 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination | up to 30 weeks |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed