Science Communication Training for Vaccine Hesitancy

Recruiting at 3 trial locations

Overseen By Yajaira Bolanos Flores, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Marina Del Rios

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not bilingual, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

1400 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Dime La VerDAD is an innovative social media capacity-building program that empowers promotores de salud to debunk vaccine misinformation through the use of personal narratives on social media. The core of the implementation strategy consists of augmenting training and self-efficacy for natural community champions, "promotores de salud" from the Hispanic community as trusted messengers to debunk vaccination misinformation. The study will leverage existing community relationships in Chicago and a first of its kind misinformation curriculum to debunk misinformation in communities served by participating promotores de salud. Dime La VerDAD (Verify, Debunk, and Disseminate) is an innovative social media capacity-building program based on theoretical frameworks related to health communication that empowers promotores de salud to debunk vaccine misinformation through the use of personal narratives on social media. This mixed methods study will use a rigorous stepped wedge design to 1) deliver a scalable program of science communicators using an adapted curriculum grounded in infodemiology, 2) evaluate how debunking misinformation is perceived on social media, and 3) discern how use of personal narratives to enhance science communication can lead to changes in opinions and behavior (vaccination rates) about COVID and influenza vaccines among Chicago's predominantly Hispanic communities.

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 data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Dime La VerDAD: Verify, Debunk, and Disseminate for addressing vaccine hesitancy?

Research shows that highlighting agreement among medical experts about vaccine safety can reduce public concern and misperceptions, which supports the idea that clear communication can help address vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, using strong, clear recommendations from healthcare providers has been shown to increase vaccine acceptance. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Science Communication Training for Vaccine Hesitancy safe for participants?

There is no specific safety data available for the Science Communication Training for Vaccine Hesitancy, but the research does not indicate any safety concerns related to participating in communication training programs. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

How is the treatment Dime La VerDAD different from other treatments for vaccine hesitancy?

Dime La VerDAD is unique because it focuses on training individuals in science communication to address vaccine hesitancy by verifying facts, debunking myths, and disseminating accurate information. Unlike other approaches that may rely solely on providing evidence, this treatment emphasizes building trust and understanding through effective communication strategies. ^{4 5 6 10 11}

Research Team

Marina DelRios, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Chicago - Section of Emergency Medicine

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for 'promotores de salud' (community health workers) from the Hispanic community in Chicago. They should be interested in using social media to debunk vaccine misinformation by sharing personal narratives. The goal is to find trusted messengers within the community who can effectively communicate about vaccines.

Inclusion Criteria

Have a social media presence (personal or work-related)

Provide services in at least one of the priority zip codes 60639, 60651, 60623, 60608, 60629, 60632 selected as priority areas in the Protect Chicago Plus program

Exclusion Criteria

I do not want to use social media.

Do not provide services in the included zip codes

Plans to stop working as a 'promotor' before spring of 2027 (end of data collection planned)

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Period

Initial baseline period before rollout of the intervention at seven distinct predominantly Hispanic community areas in Chicago

1 year

Intervention

Promotores de salud receive a tailored curriculum on how to debunk misinformation and create infographics and media as well as incorporate their personal narratives into social media posts

1-3 years

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in opinions and behavior regarding vaccination after the intervention

6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Dime La VerDAD: Verify, Debunk, and Disseminate

Trial Overview The Dime La VerDAD program tests a science communication curriculum designed to empower promotores de salud. It aims to enhance their ability to counteract vaccine misinformation on social media through personal stories, using a stepped wedge design study.

Participant Groups

Group I: Experimental: Cohort 3 participation in science communication curriculum Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Promotores de salud servicing three geographically distinct community areas out of the seven selected for participation in this study will receive a tailored curriculum on how to debunk misinformation and create infographics and media as well as incorporate their personal narratives into social media posts for their communities. The core of the implementation strategy consists of augmenting training and self-efficacy for natural community champions, "promotores de salud" from the Hispanic community as trusted messengers to debunk vaccination misinformation.

Group II: Experimental: Cohort 2 participation in science communication curriculum Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Promotores de salud servicing two geographically adjacent community areas out of the seven selected for participation in this study will receive a tailored curriculum on how to debunk misinformation and create infographics and media as well as incorporate their personal narratives into social media posts for their communities. The core of the implementation strategy consists of augmenting training and self-efficacy for natural community champions, "promotores de salud" from the Hispanic community as trusted messengers to debunk vaccination misinformation.

Group III: Experimental: Cohort 1 participation in science communication curriculum Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Promotores de salud servicing two geographically adjacent community areas out of the seven selected for participation in this study will receive a tailored curriculum on how to debunk misinformation and create infographics and media as well as incorporate their personal narratives into social media posts for their communities. The core of the implementation strategy consists of augmenting training and self-efficacy for natural community champions, "promotores de salud" from the Hispanic community as trusted messengers to debunk vaccination misinformation.

Group IV: Control: One year baseline period Active Control 1 Intervention

Initial baseline period before rollout of the intervention at seven distinct predominantly Hispanic community areas in Chicago.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Marina Del Rios

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

1,400+

University of Chicago

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,086

Recruited

844,000+

Tanoma Consulting

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,400+

University of Michigan

Collaborator

Trials

1,891

Recruited

6,458,000+

Rush University Medical Center

Collaborator

Trials

448

Recruited

247,000+

Bedford Research Corporation, Inc.

Collaborator

Trials

4

Recruited

1,600+

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Collaborator

Trials

473

Recruited

1,374,000+

University of Iowa

Collaborator

Trials

486

Recruited

934,000+

Findings from Research

Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant issue globally, affecting 15-35% of parents even among those with well-vaccinated children, despite strong evidence supporting vaccine safety and effectiveness.

Health care provider recommendations are crucial for increasing vaccine uptake, with stronger, more assertive language (like presumptive announcements) leading to higher vaccination rates compared to softer, conversational approaches.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How health care providers should address vaccine hesitancy in the clinical setting: Evidence for presumptive language in making a strong recommendation. Jacobson, RM., St Sauver, JL., Griffin, JM., et al.[2021]

A two-stage online Delphi survey identified that different stakeholders prioritize various outcome domains for evaluating childhood vaccination communication, emphasizing the need for tailored outcome selection based on communication type.

For communication aimed at informing or educating, 'knowledge or understanding' was deemed most important, while 'vaccination status and behaviors' were prioritized for reminder communications, and 'community participation' for community engagement efforts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identification of preliminary core outcome domains for communication about childhood vaccination: An online Delphi survey. Kaufman, J., Ryan, R., Lewin, S., et al.[2022]

A survey of 295 health professions students revealed that those in medical and biomedical science programs had the highest vaccine acceptance scores, indicating strong positive attitudes towards vaccination.

The overall knowledge score about vaccines was 67.7%, with medical students scoring the highest at 79.0%, suggesting that enhancing vaccine education in health professions can help combat vaccine hesitancy among future healthcare providers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Measuring vaccine acceptance and knowledge within health professions education. Singh, H., Chase, AJ.[2022]

Highlighting the consensus among medical scientists about childhood vaccine safety significantly reduced public concern and belief in the discredited autism-vaccine link among 206 American adults in an online survey experiment.

Emphasizing this medical consensus not only increased perceived safety and support for vaccines but also acted as a key factor in improving public attitudes towards vaccination, suggesting it could be an effective strategy for public health communication.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Highlighting consensus among medical scientists increases public support for vaccines: evidence from a randomized experiment. van der Linden, SL., Clarke, CE., Maibach, EW.[2018]

Effective communication strategies are essential to address vaccine hesitancy, as simply providing evidence about vaccine safety and efficacy has not significantly reduced hesitancy-related beliefs.

Five best practices for developing communication materials include: identifying the target audience and building trust, presenting balanced information on risks and benefits, addressing facts before myths, using visual aids, and testing materials before launch to enhance vaccine acceptance.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimizing communication material to address vaccine hesitancy. Dubé, E., Gagnon, D., Vivion, M.[2020]

Effective communication of scientific information, especially regarding vaccines, is crucial due to public fear and misinformation, and scientists must actively defend their work.

Scientists have a responsibility to engage with the public, challenge misinformation, and advocate for science in all settings, no matter how small.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communicating vaccine science to the public. Larru, B., Offit, P.[2016]

In two online experiments, it was found that strong negations of vaccine-adverse events (VAE) paradoxically increased perceived vaccination risk, while weak negations decreased it, highlighting the complexity of risk communication.

The effectiveness of risk negation messages depends on the credibility of the source; credible sources like government institutions can use both strong and weak negations effectively, while less credible sources, like pharmaceutical companies, should prefer moderate negations to lower perceived risk.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Debunking vaccination myths: strong risk negations can increase perceived vaccination risks. Betsch, C., Sachse, K.[2018]

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 survey of 101 medical science communicators revealed that 91.9% experienced abusive behavior, with 69.3% facing persistent harassment and 5.9% encountering physical violence, highlighting the risks associated with public engagement in medical science.

Many communicators reported negative mental health effects, such as depression and anxiety (62.4%), and some felt unsupported by their employers when facing vexatious complaints, indicating a need for better support systems in the field.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Establishing a taxonomy of potential hazards associated with communicating medical science in the age of disinformation. Grimes, DR., Brennan, LJ., O'Connor, R.[2021]

Providing clear, everyday language explanations about mRNA vaccine safety and effectiveness significantly reduced vaccine hesitancy among unvaccinated Americans in two experiments involving a total of 5,263 participants.

The most effective approach was using refutational text that directly addressed and corrected misunderstandings about vaccine safety, indicating that clear communication can help overcome hesitancy regardless of individuals' political beliefs or prior attitudes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reducing vaccine hesitancy by explaining vaccine science. Joslyn, S., Qin, C., Han, JH., et al.[2023]

The Art of Science Communication course significantly increased scientists' likelihood of engaging with nonexpert audiences, rising from 51% to 77% after the course, indicating its effectiveness in promoting public communication of science.

Participants reported a marked increase in confidence in their science communication skills, with median confidence scores improving from 5 to 8, suggesting that such training is beneficial for scientists at all career stages.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Science Communication Training Imparts Confidence and Influences Public Engagement Activity. Swords, CM., Porter, JS., Hawkins, AJ., et al.[2023]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How health care providers should address vaccine hesitancy in the clinical setting: Evidence for presumptive language in making a strong recommendation. [2021]

2. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identification of preliminary core outcome domains for communication about childhood vaccination: An online Delphi survey. [2022]

3. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Measuring vaccine acceptance and knowledge within health professions education. [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Highlighting consensus among medical scientists increases public support for vaccines: evidence from a randomized experiment. [2018]

5. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimizing communication material to address vaccine hesitancy. [2020]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communicating vaccine science to the public. [2016]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Debunking vaccination myths: strong risk negations can increase perceived vaccination risks. [2018]

8. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

User preferences for a mobile application to report adverse events following vaccination. [2020]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Establishing a taxonomy of potential hazards associated with communicating medical science in the age of disinformation. [2021]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reducing vaccine hesitancy by explaining vaccine science. [2023]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Science Communication Training Imparts Confidence and Influences Public Engagement Activity. [2023]