Digital Storytelling for Flu Vaccination in Children

No longer recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Joshua Williams, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Denver Health and Hospital Authority

Disqualifiers: Non-English speaking caregivers

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

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to explore a new method to boost flu vaccination rates among Black children aged 6 months to 5 years using Digital Storytelling, which delivers health messages through engaging narratives. Caregivers will either receive digital stories via text messages to build vaccine confidence or continue with standard care. The goal is to find effective methods to ensure more children get vaccinated, with a focus on health equity. Families with a child who attends Denver Health and can receive the flu vaccine without medical issues may be a good fit.

As an unphased trial, this study offers families the chance to contribute to innovative strategies that could improve health outcomes in their community.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this Digital Storytelling intervention is safe for children?

Research shows that caregivers and staff generally favor digital storytelling as a way to boost confidence in flu vaccines. Although studies don't provide specific safety details for this method, digital storytelling is non-invasive. It doesn't involve physical contact or medication, making it low-risk. Other studies have used digital storytelling to share experiences and have found it promising in changing health-related behaviors, such as increasing vaccine confidence.

The main goal is to share stories and experiences to encourage behavior change, rather than introducing a new drug or treatment. Reports of negative effects from digital storytelling are absent because it primarily involves sharing information through digital tools, like videos or text messages. This makes it a safe option to consider for those thinking about joining a trial that uses this method. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using digital storytelling to increase flu vaccination rates in children because it offers a fresh approach to boosting vaccine confidence. Unlike traditional methods that primarily focus on direct education or reminders, digital storytelling delivers engaging narratives via text messages to caregivers. This method aims to tap into the emotional and cultural aspects of storytelling, making it more relatable and memorable. By enhancing vaccine confidence through storytelling, this technique could potentially lead to higher vaccination rates, offering a novel and effective strategy compared to standard care practices.

What evidence suggests that Digital Storytelling is effective for increasing flu vaccination rates in Black children?

Research shows that digital storytelling can effectively boost confidence in the flu vaccine among caregivers. In this trial, caregivers in the digital storytelling group will receive a series of digital stories by text message designed to increase influenza vaccine confidence. Digital stories have improved both the intention to get vaccinated and actual vaccination rates. Caregivers and staff view this method positively, finding it helpful in promoting flu vaccination. Digital storytelling uses narratives, such as short animated stories, to change attitudes and increase understanding about vaccines. These stories connect personally with caregivers, making them a promising way to increase vaccination rates in children. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Black children aged 6 months to 5 years. The goal is to explore and test a new way of encouraging flu vaccinations through digital storytelling, aiming to reduce the gap in vaccination rates.

Inclusion Criteria

Caregivers of a child who is empaneled at Denver Health (e.g. had 1 well child visit in last 18 months)

Child has no medical contraindications to vaccination (e.g., severe allergy to one of the vaccine ingredients, history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome)

My child will be between 6 months and 5 years old during the flu season of the trial.

Exclusion Criteria

Caregivers whose first language is not English

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

5 months

In-person recruitment in clinic waiting rooms

Intervention

Caregivers receive a series of 6 monthly texts with embedded digital stories and accompanying health messaging

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for child influenza vaccination status and caregivers' perceptions of intervention feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Digital Storytelling

Trial Overview The study is testing whether using digital stories can help increase flu vaccination rates among young Black children. It's an innovative approach that involves community engagement and could serve as a model for addressing similar health disparities.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Digital storytelling group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Caregivers will receive a series of digital stories by text message designed to increase influenza vaccine confidence.

Group II: Control group Active Control 1 Intervention

Caregivers will receive standard care.

Digital Storytelling is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Digital Storytelling Intervention for:

• Reducing pediatric influenza vaccination disparities in Black children aged 6 months to 5 years

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Denver Health and Hospital Authority

Lead Sponsor

Trials

106

Recruited

403,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The SafeVac app was successfully used by 61.4% of influenza vaccination recipients over a 3-month period to report adverse events following immunization (AEFIs), demonstrating the feasibility of digital reporting for vaccine safety monitoring.

Female sex was associated with a higher occurrence of AEFIs, while older age and lower education levels negatively impacted adherence to the app and correct reporting, suggesting that demographic factors influence both AEFI reporting and occurrence.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Postmarketing Safety Monitoring After Influenza Vaccination Using a Mobile Health App: Prospective Longitudinal Feasibility Study. Nguyen, MTH., Krause, G., Keller-Stanislawski, B., et al.[2021]

The study demonstrated that virtual digital storytelling (DST) workshops are a feasible and well-accepted method for engaging Vietnamese American and Korean American mothers in discussions about HPV vaccination, with high satisfaction ratings (mean 4.2-5).

The workshops revealed six major themes related to mothers' experiences and attitudes towards HPV vaccination, highlighting the importance of culturally relevant health communication in improving vaccination rates among these communities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Developing a Culturally and Linguistically Congruent Digital Storytelling Intervention in Vietnamese and Korean American Mothers of Human Papillomavirus-Vaccinated Children: Feasibility and Acceptability Study. Kim, SW., Chen, AC., Ou, L., et al.[2023]

This project uses a human-centered design approach to understand and address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among children and adolescents in two diverse neighborhoods in Montreal, involving community engagement and co-development of strategies.

By combining surveys and community-led design teams, the study aims to enhance vaccine confidence and acceptance, with ongoing evaluation of the interventions to ensure they meet local needs effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using human-centred design to tackle COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy for children and youth: a protocol for a mixed-methods study in Montreal, Canada. McKinnon, B., Abalovi, K., Vandermorris, A., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 453 healthcare professionals in Ghana, only 10.8% demonstrated high knowledge of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs), indicating a significant gap in understanding among HCPs that could impact vaccine safety monitoring.

Despite general awareness of AEFIs, many HCPs held negative perceptions about their ability to diagnose and report these events, highlighting the need for improved training and education on AEFI management and vaccine safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Knowledge and Perceptions of Adverse Events Following Immunization among Healthcare Professionals in Africa: A Case Study from Ghana. Yamoah, P., Bangalee, V., Oosthuizen, F.[2020]

In a study involving 153 employees, 42% participated in testing an app designed for reporting adverse events following immunization (AEFI), with 63% of users rating the experience positively, indicating good acceptance of the app-based technology.

Concerns about data protection were the main reason for declining participation, suggesting that improving data security measures could enhance the acceptability and effectiveness of app-based AEFI reporting systems.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

User preferences for a mobile application to report adverse events following vaccination. Nguyen, MTH., Ott, JJ., Caputo, M., et al.[2020]

A story-based intervention was developed to communicate health information to parents of children with croup, incorporating feedback from parents to ensure the stories were relatable and informative.

Focus group evaluations indicated that parents preferred the story format over traditional medical information sheets, as it made understanding health information easier, although challenges remained in balancing storytelling with evidence-based content.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Storytelling as a communication tool for health consumers: development of an intervention for parents of children with croup. Stories to communicate health information. Hartling, L., Scott, S., Pandya, R., et al.[2021]

A study involving 15 academic and translational partners implemented a continuing education workshop using digital stories, which was highly valued by 160 participants for enhancing understanding and empathy in nursing practice.

The use of digital storytelling in nursing education not only supports the transfer of family nursing knowledge but also encourages reflection and empathy among nurses, indicating its potential to transform health care education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reducing Digital Storytelling Implementation Barriers in Nursing Education Workshops. Clisbee, D., Beierwaltes, P., Eggenberger, SK.[2020]

Digital storytelling was found to be an effective therapeutic tool for children and young adults with cancer, helping them express and process their experiences, which can mitigate suffering.

Participants reported that creating digital stories not only facilitated understanding of their cancer journey but also provided unexpected therapeutic benefits, suggesting a valuable approach for addressing the psychosocial effects of cancer treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stories That Heal: Understanding the Effects of Creating Digital Stories With Pediatric and Adolescent/Young Adult Oncology Patients. Laing, CM., Moules, NJ., Estefan, A., et al.[2018]

Parents generally trust narratives from both healthcare providers and other parents, with a preference for stories featuring parents as main characters, indicating that personal experiences may resonate more effectively in promoting vaccination.

Short video narratives that address vaccine-preventable diseases were well-received by parents as a potential intervention for vaccine promotion, although many parents reported not actively watching such videos online.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring parents' views of the use of narratives to promote childhood vaccination online. Dubé, E., Trottier, ME., Gagnon, D., et al.[2023]

Storytelling in health communication, especially in immunization education, can be more effective than just presenting scientific data, as it makes information more relatable and memorable for parents.

A collection of personal stories and photographs about families affected by vaccine-preventable diseases has shown that storytelling can enhance health knowledge and influence positive health behaviors, suggesting that healthcare providers should integrate narratives into their communication strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Telling stories of vaccine-preventable diseases: why it works. Cunningham, RM., Boom, JA.[2013]

This scoping review aims to analyze studies that use narrative interventions to encourage vaccination, addressing the global issue of vaccine hesitancy, particularly for diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, HPV, and COVID-19.

The review will systematically search multiple databases and extract data on the effectiveness of narrative strategies in promoting vaccination, with findings intended to guide future communication strategies and research in this area.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intervention studies to encourage vaccination using narrative: a systematic scoping review protocol. Okuhara, T., Okada, H., Goto, E., et al.[2022]

A mobile app was developed to facilitate reporting of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) for the influenza vaccine, and it successfully recorded 1104 data points from 38 participants, indicating its feasibility for AEFI reporting.

Despite the app's success in data collection, only 63% of participants downloaded it, and only 28% reported new or worsening health conditions after vaccination, suggesting barriers to wider adoption that need to be addressed in future studies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An evaluation of the feasibility and usability of a proof of concept mobile app for adverse event reporting post influenza vaccination. Wilson, K., Atkinson, KM., Westeinde, J., et al.[2022]

A survey of healthcare professionals in King County, WA, revealed that 17% were unsure how to report vaccine-associated adverse events (AEs), highlighting a significant gap in knowledge regarding reporting procedures.

The study identified that 61% of respondents found unclear definitions of reportable AEs as a barrier to reporting, indicating a need for improved education and clarity to enhance vaccine safety monitoring during public health emergencies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing vaccine safety communication with healthcare providers in a large urban county. Meranus, D., Stergachis, A., Arnold, J., et al.[2015]

Health care providers (HCPs) found digital stories created by pediatric and adolescent oncology patients to be powerful tools that enhance their understanding of patient experiences, impacting their personal and professional perspectives.

The study suggests that these digital stories can be effectively used for educating newly diagnosed families and training new staff, potentially leading to improved patient care and decision-making in healthcare settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"Stories Take Your Role Away From You": Understanding the Impact on Health Care Professionals of Viewing Digital Stories of Pediatric and Adolescent/Young Adult Oncology Patients. Laing, CM., Moules, NJ., Estefan, A., et al.[2018]

An educational intervention using digital storytelling was implemented to support families and nurses during acute illness, involving 160 nurse participants who reported positive feedback on their experiences.

Family members (n = 49) experienced significant improvements in their perceptions of support after the intervention, indicating that the approach effectively enhanced family-centered care in nursing practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Educational Intervention Incorporating Digital Storytelling to Implement Family Nursing Practice in Acute Care Settings. Beierwaltes, P., Clisbee, D., Eggenberger, SK.[2021]

Citations

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Co-creation of pediatric influenza digital stories via rapid ... Digital stories are multi-modal narratives that recount lived experiences and have been associated with changes in pediatric caregivers' ...

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Staff and caregivers' perceptions of digital storytelling to ... To explore staff and caregivers' perceptions of Digital Storytelling (DST) as a behavioral intervention to improve influenza vaccine confidence ...

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Staff and caregivers' perceptions of digital storytelling to ... Objective: To explore staff and caregivers' perceptions of Digital Storytelling (DST) as a behavioral intervention to improve influenza vaccine ...

4. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-influenza-human-4-2024-c2f20

Digital Storytelling for Flu Vaccination in Children An educational intervention using digital storytelling was implemented to support families and nurses during acute illness, involving 160 nurse participants who ...

5. jmir.org jmir.org/2025/1/e66758

Effects of Scalable, Wordless, Short, Animated Storytelling ... Effectiveness of a digital intervention in increasing flu vaccination–related risk appraisal, intention to vaccinate and vaccination ...