Increasing the intent to receive a pandemic influenza vaccination: Testing the impact of theory-based messages

PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

卷:89

Article

Godinho, Cristina A.¹  Yardley, Lucy²  Marcu, Afrodita³  Mowbray, Fiona²  Beard, Emma¹  Michie, Susan¹ 

[1] UCL, Res Dept Clin Educ & Hlth Psychol, London WC1E 7HB, England

[2] Univ Southampton, Fac Social & Human Sci, Dept Psychol, Southampton SO9 5NH, Hants, England

[3] Univ Surrey, Fac Hlth & Med Sci, Sch Hlth Sci, Guildford GU2 5XH, Surrey, England

关键词: Vaccination uptake;    Theory-based health messages;    Psychological predictors;    Online experiment;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.05.025

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Objective. Vaccination is an effective preventive measure to reduce influenza transmission, especially important in a pandemic. Despite the messages encouraging vaccination during the last pandemic, uptake remained low (37.6% in clinical risk groups). This study investigated the effect of different types of messages regarding length, content type, and framing on vaccination intention. Method. An online experiment was conducted in February 2015. A representative sample of 1424 people living in England read amock newspaper article about a novel influenza pandemic before being randomised to one of four conditions: standardDepartment ofHealth (DoH) (longmessage) and three brief theory-based messages an abridged version of the standard DoH and two messages additionally targeting pandemic influenza severity and vaccination benefits (framed as risk-reducing or health-enhancing, respectively). Intention to be vaccinated and potential mediators were measured. Results. The shortened DoH message increased vaccination intentionmore than the longer one, by increasing perceived susceptibility, anticipated regret and perceived message personal relevance while lowering perceived costs, despite the longer one being rated as slightlymore credible. Intention to be vaccinatedwas not improved by adding information on severity and benefits, and the health-enhancing message was not more effective than the risk-reducing. Conclusion. A briefer message resulted in greater intention to be vaccinated, whereas emphasising the severity of pandemic influenza and the benefits of vaccination did not. Future campaigns should consider using brief theoretically- based messages, targeting knowledge about influenza and precautionary measures, perceived susceptibility to pandemic influenza, and the perceived efficacy and reduced costs of vaccination. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

Free