Vaccination Nudges for Flu

Overseen By Teagan Mauthe, Bachelor of Health Sciences

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Calgary

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

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 determine if sending letters can encourage more people in Alberta, Canada, to receive flu and travel vaccines. It will also assess whether these vaccines reduce the number of strokes in the six months following vaccination. The study includes two groups: one receives a letter about the benefits of flu vaccines and heart health, while the other receives information about the benefits of travel vaccines. The trial seeks adults who have visited a Mint Pharmacy in the past year. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to public health research and potentially enhance vaccination strategies.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on vaccination and does not mention medication changes.

What prior data suggests that these behavioural nudges are safe for increasing vaccination uptake?

Research shows that behavioral nudges, such as letters sent in the mail, are generally safe because they are not medical treatments. Instead, they serve as tools to encourage vaccination. Previous studies have found that these nudges effectively increase vaccination rates without causing harm. For example, electronic reminders have significantly boosted flu vaccination rates. These strategies are well-tolerated because they provide information and reminders, rather than involving medical procedures.

In this trial, the nudges aim to increase flu and travel vaccination rates by emphasizing health benefits. Since the trial does not test a new drug or vaccine, but rather a method to encourage the use of existing vaccines, there are no direct safety concerns with the nudges themselves. Participants can feel confident that the process is safe, focusing purely on receiving helpful information through letters. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about these treatments because they are exploring innovative ways to increase vaccination rates using behavioral nudges. Unlike traditional methods that rely on direct medical advice or reminders, these approaches use carefully crafted letters to encourage individuals to get vaccinated by highlighting specific benefits. The first approach nudges people by emphasizing how flu vaccination can reduce both influenza and cardiovascular risks, appealing to those concerned about heart health. The second focuses on the health benefits of travel vaccinations, aiming to protect against illnesses when traveling. These strategies could lead to higher vaccination rates by appealing to personal motivations, potentially improving public health outcomes.

What evidence suggests that these behavioural nudges are effective for increasing vaccination rates?

This trial will compare two different behavioral nudges to increase vaccination rates. Participants in the "Influenza and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction" arm will receive a letter encouraging influenza vaccination to reduce both influenza and cardiovascular risks. Studies have shown that simple reminders, such as sending letters, can effectively increase vaccination rates, boosting flu vaccine rates by 11-14 percentage points. Additionally, emphasizing the heart health benefits of the flu vaccine can encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Participants in the "Travel Vaccination Benefit" arm will receive a letter promoting travel vaccination to reduce the risk of contracting a travel-related illness. Although less detailed data exists on travel vaccines, targeted messages have generally increased vaccination rates. Overall, these reminders use straightforward communication to significantly impact public health. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Amity Quinn

Principal Investigator

University of Calgary

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults in Alberta, Canada who have visited a Mint Pharmacy site within the past year. It's designed to see if letters from pharmacists can encourage people to get flu and travel vaccinations, which might also reduce stroke events.

Inclusion Criteria

Visited a Mint Pharmacy site within 1 year of enrollment date

I am 18 years old or older.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

Not specified

Intervention

Participants receive mailed letters with behavioral nudges to increase vaccination uptake

6 months

No in-person visits, intervention via mailed letters

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for vaccination uptake and stroke events

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Behavioural Nudge (Influenza Risk Reduction)
• Behavioural Nudge (Travel Vaccination Benefit)

Trial Overview The study tests whether receiving mailed 'nudges'—letters with messages about the benefits of flu and travel vaccines—increases vaccination rates. Participants are randomly placed into two groups: one receives a letter emphasizing influenza and stroke risk reduction; the other gets information on travel vaccine benefits.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Travel Vaccination Benefit Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to the Travel Vaccination Benefit arm will receive a letter encouraging ("nudging") travel vaccination as a health benefit by reducing the risk of contracting a travel-related illness.

Group II: Influenza and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to the Influenza Risk Reduction arm will receive a letter encouraging ("nudging") influenza vaccination as an influenza and cardiovascular risk reduction method.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Calgary

Lead Sponsor

Trials

827

Recruited

902,000+

Alberta Health services

Collaborator

Trials

168

Recruited

658,000+

Mint Health + Drugs

Collaborator

Citations

1. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2824956

Electronic Nudges to Increase Influenza Vaccination in ... In NUDGE-FLU, absolute improvements in vaccination rates were modest; however, background vaccination rates were very high at more than 80%, ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11581639/

Electronic Nudges to Increase Influenza Vaccination in ... All 6 intervention strategies markedly increased influenza vaccination rates with absolute effect sizes ranging between 11-14 percentage points.

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X24006719

Electronic Nudge Letters to Increase Influenza Vaccination ... Behavioral nudges in the form of letters or short messages have in previous studies demonstrated to be effective in boosting vaccination rates.

4. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07161739

NCT07161739 | Vaccination Nudges From Pharmacists A behavioural nudge via mailed letter that discusses the benefits of the influenza vaccine in preventing influenza infection and reducing cardiovascular risk.

5. ahajournals.org ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.064270

Effect of Electronic Nudges on Influenza Vaccination Rate ... Our results indicate that nudges focused on the cardiovascular benefits of influenza vaccines may be an effective strategy for inducing ...

6. pnas.org pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2115126119

A 680000-person megastudy of nudges to encourage ... Reminder texts increased vaccination rates by an average of 2.0 percentage points (6.8%) over a business-as-usual control condition. The most-effective messages ...