Use of Construal Level Theory to Inform Messaging to Increase Vaccination Against COVID-19

Mass General Brigham

Status: Completed

Conditions: Vaccine Refusal; Covid19

Treatments: Behavioral: Usual Care; Behavioral: Messaging informed by construal level theory

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04871776

P30AG064199 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

2021P001308

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to increase uptake of the COVID booster vaccine through messaging informed by Construal Level Theory. Patients in the Mass General Brigham (MGB) health system aged 18 and older who are eligible for the COVID booster vaccine, but who have not yet received a dose at the time of an upcoming primary care clinic visit, will be randomized to one of three messaging arms: 1) "why" messaging, 2) "how" messaging, or 3) standard of care ("usual care"). Messages will be sent via the electronic patient portal a few days in advance of their office visit. The primary outcome will be the rate of booster vaccination at the targeted visit. The secondary outcome will be the rate of receipt of a COVID booster vaccine within 6 weeks of the targeted visit. Subgroup analyses to assess for any association of patient characteristics with intervention responsiveness will be exploratory.

Enrollment: 3,671 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients in the Mass General Brigham system
• Aged 18 and older
• Are eligible for the COVID booster vaccine but have not received a dose at time of upcoming primary care clinic visit

Exclusion criteria

• Documented allergy to a COVID vaccine or its components
• Home address outside of Massachusetts
• Did not receive full set of primary COVID-19 vaccination series

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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3,671 participants in 3 patient groups

"Why" messaging

Experimental group

Description:

In this arm, patients will be sent an electronic patient portal message a few days in advance of their office visit. Messages will focus on reasons to get the COVID booster vaccine, including protecting self and loved ones or the idea of herd immunity.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Messaging informed by construal level theory

"How" messaging

Experimental group

Description:

In this arm, patients will be sent an electronic patient portal message a few days in advance of their office visit. "How" messages will focus on the details of obtaining a vaccination at MGB, what to expect, and how to prepare for the visit.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Messaging informed by construal level theory

Usual Care

Active Comparator group

Description:

In this arm, patients will not receive any additional message about their upcoming visit, beyond what they already receive by the health system.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Usual Care