Messaging Strategies for HIV Vaccine Misinformation

(PROTECT Trial)

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Alison Buttenheim, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Disqualifiers: Unwilling to consent

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

4000 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to address misinformation about the HIV vaccine by testing different messaging strategies among young women in South Africa. It will compare the effectiveness of these messages, which incorporate insights from behavioral economics, in changing intentions to get vaccinated after exposure to false information. Participants will be divided into two groups: one receiving general health information and the other receiving enhanced messages debunking myths about the HIV vaccine. Women aged 18-29 who are sexually active and either HIV-negative or unsure of their HIV status may qualify for this study. As an unphased trial, this study provides participants the opportunity to contribute to important research that could improve public health messaging and vaccine uptake.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that these messaging strategies are safe for adolescent girls and young women?

Research has shown that the messages used in this study are generally safe. These messages help people identify false information about vaccines by explaining why certain claims are untrue. Studies have found these messages to be effective, particularly in areas where vaccine skepticism exists.

The study will use improved messages incorporating ideas from behavioral economics. This approach might include offering small rewards, like a sticker, to encourage vaccine acceptance. These rewards are harmless and help make the message more memorable.

Overall, no evidence suggests any risk from these messaging strategies. They serve as a new way to help people make informed choices about vaccines. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it aims to tackle HIV vaccine misinformation in a novel way. Unlike standard methods that focus solely on providing factual information, this trial explores how messaging strategies, enhanced with insights from behavioral economics, can help people resist misinformation. By warning participants about false claims and explaining why they're misleading, the trial hopes to strengthen people's defenses against misinformation. Additionally, offering small tokens like stickers or badges as part of the messaging serves as a commitment device, encouraging individuals to stay informed and supportive of vaccination efforts. This approach could lead to more effective communication strategies, ultimately improving public acceptance of HIV vaccines.

What evidence suggests that this trial's messaging strategies could be effective for addressing HIV vaccine misinformation?

Research has shown that psychological inoculation can help people resist false information. This method exposes individuals to a small, harmless version of misinformation, allowing them to build defenses against it, similar to how a vaccine functions. In this trial, participants in the enhanced inoculation message arm will receive messages warning them about impending HIV vaccine misinformation and explaining why those claims are false or misleading. Studies have found that incorporating ideas from behavioral economics can strengthen this resistance. Behavioral economics examines decision-making processes and aids in making better choices. These strategies aim to protect people from believing false claims about the HIV vaccine, increasing their confidence and acceptance. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 in South Africa who are at risk of HIV infection. It aims to address the challenge of vaccine misinformation that could hinder uptake of an effective future HIV vaccine. The study will explore how different messages can influence their intentions to get vaccinated against HIV.

Inclusion Criteria

Willing and able to provide written informed consent

Able to read and understand English

Self-reported HIV-negative status or unknown HIV status at enrolment

Exclusion Criteria

Unwilling or unable to provide consent for study participation.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive inoculation messages addressing HIV vaccine misinformation, with some receiving enhanced messages with behavioral economics insights.

4-8 weeks

1 visit (in-person or virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in intentions to receive the HIV vaccine and other secondary outcomes following misinformation exposure.

3-6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• HIV Vaccine

Trial Overview The study tests the effectiveness of 'inoculation messages' designed to protect against misinformation about an HIV vaccine. Participants will be divided into three groups: one receiving standard messages, another getting enhanced messages with behavioral economics insights, and a control group receiving nutrition information.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Enhanced inoculation message Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants enrolled in the enhanced inoculation message arm will receive messages that warn them about impending HIV vaccine misinformation and explains why those claims are false or misleading, the messages will be enhanced with insights from behavioural economics see Appendix 5: "Inoculation message with a BE boost" for an example of the inoculation message. As part of the behavioural economics boost, participants may choose to receive a small token (e.g., sticker, badge, bracelet) with a message promoting vaccination as a consistency and commitment prime.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants enrolled in the control group will receive unrelated information on diabetes and nutrition topics of the same length as the inoculation messages. Please see Appendix 6 for an example of how this message will be structured. This will make the control group an attention control group and ensure that findings are not confounded by the intervention group spending more time and attentional resources on participation in the study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pennsylvania

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,118

Recruited

45,270,000+

Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, University of the Witwatersrand

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

3,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+

University of Cape Town

Collaborator

Trials

257

Recruited

458,000+

Boston University

Collaborator

Trials

494

Recruited

9,998,000+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06700447?term=HIV%20vaccine&aggFilters=studyType:int,phase:&viewType=Table&rank=8

NCT06700447 | Protecting Against HIV Vaccine ... Participants will be randomly assigned to a control group or an intervention arm: enhanced inoculation message with insights from behavioural economics.

2. reporter.nih.gov reporter.nih.gov/search/12E0C90B468FC1D47598B8961CAA4A01A2FFCEB861BF/project-details/10845464

Inoculating and boosting against HIV vaccine misinformation ... In this study, we bring together two promising approaches – psychological inoculation theory and behavioral economics – to fight HIV vaccine misinformation.

3. beginlab.upenn.edu beginlab.upenn.edu/protect-inoculating-and-boosting-against-hiv-vaccine-misinformation-among-adolescent-girls-and-young-women-in-south-africa/

Inoculating and boosting against HIV vaccine misinformation ... In this study, we test messages that work like an “information vaccine” to build resistance to misinformation that young women may hear about the HIV vaccine.

4. indlela.org indlela.org/protecting-hiv-vaccine-misinformation-in-south-africa-protect/

Protecting against HIV vaccine misinformation in South Africa ... This new study will test messages that work as an “information vaccine” to build resistance to misinformation that young women may hear about the HIV vaccine.

5. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/messaging-strategies-for-hiv-vaccine-misinformation-f8545

Messaging Strategies for HIV Vaccine Misinformation Participants receive inoculation messages addressing HIV vaccine misinformation, with some receiving enhanced messages with behavioral economics insights. 4 ...

6. kff.org kff.org/health-information-trust/public-trust-in-vaccine-information-misrepresented-vaccine-studies-and-hiv-and-prep-stigma/

Public Trust in Vaccine Information, Misrepresented ... AI-Generated Messages Show Mixed Results in Correcting Vaccine Misinformation. A study from a researcher at the University of Michigan explored ...

7. jmir.org jmir.org/2024/1/e53375/

Public Discourse, User Reactions, and Conspiracy ... This study investigated the patterns of public discourse and message-level drivers of user reactions on X regarding HIV vaccines by analyzing posts using ...

8. equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-025-02451-0

Health conspiracy theories: a scoping review of drivers ... Inoculation messages promoting vaccine acceptance were most effective in low-trust settings [17]. Fact-based and logic-based inoculation ...