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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05422898

Discussing COVID-19 Vaccines in Private Facebook Groups

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, a sizable proportion of the U.S. population remains unvaccinated and at high risk of death and serious illness from COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy, fueled by the proliferation of vaccine misinformation on social media, is one factor contributing to lack of vaccination. Current attempts to overcome vaccine misinformation focus on correcting or debunking falsehoods. Although debunking strategies are important components to any public health campaign, communications must also address rationales for vaccine hesitancy that vary among individuals and communities, and directly address the gist of their concerns in an empathetic, non-judgmental manner. We will conduct a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of empathic, relationship-building interactions relative to standard provision of information on social media to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

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Key information

Conditions

COVID-19 Behavior Coronaviridae Infections Coronavirus Infections Health Behavior Infections Lung Diseases Nidovirales Infections Pneumonia Pneumonia, Viral RNA Virus Infections Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Infections Treatment Adherence and Compliance Treatment Refusal Vaccination Hesitancy Vaccination Refusal Virus Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

George Washington University

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20052, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • reside in the U.S.
  • unvaccinated from COVID-19
  • Use Facebook regularly (at least 1/day)

Exclusion criteria

  • age <18 years
  • do not reside in the U.S.
  • vaccinated from COVID-19
  • do not use Facebook regularly (at least 1/day)

Treatment and study plan

Gist messages on COVID-19 vaccination

Behavioral

Participants will receive gist-based messages on COVID-19 vaccines and have their concerns addressed by a group moderator

COVID-19 vaccine information

Behavioral

Participants will receive a link to the Facebook COVID-19 Information Center via a private Facebook Group

Primary outcomes

  1. Engagement and satisfaction with the program

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Engagement includes participation in the Facebook group; satisfaction=self-rated overall satisfaction with the program (7-point scale)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Proportion of participants getting the COVID-19 vaccine

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    self-reported vaccination status

  2. Change in COVID-19 vaccination intention

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Self-reported intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine (7-point scale)

  3. Change in intention to encourage others to get the COVID-19 vaccine

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Self-reported intention to encourage others to get the COVID-19 vaccine (7-point scale)

  4. Change in COVID-19 vaccine confidence

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Self-reported confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine (5-point scale)

  5. Change in general vaccine confidence

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Self-reported confidence in vaccines (7-point scale)

  6. Change in vaccine hesitancy

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Self-reported vaccine hesitancy (7-point scale

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

George Washington University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Empathic Engagement With the COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitant in Private Facebook Groups

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Jun 21, 2022
Registry last updated
Jun 21, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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