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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05531058

The Impact of a Web-based Psychoeducation Programme with a Motivational AI Chatbot on Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Vaccine hesitancy is defined as 'delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines, despite the availability of vaccine service' and was named one of the top ten global health threats by the World Health Organization in 2019.

Our proposed study will aim to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a Web-based psychoeducation programme to address Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy, 'AI-driven Vaccine Communicator' (including educational materials, animations of vaccine research and development, and an MI communication skills-based AI, digital assistant).

Our goal is to standardise our intervention so that it can serve as an effective toolkit for clinicians/healthcare providers to increase Hong Kong residents' motivation to vaccinate and to ensure that the programme can be adapted to viral mutations and newly developed vaccines in the medium/long term.

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Key information

Conditions

Vaccine Hesitancy Behavior COVID-19 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

School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic Unviersity

Hong Kong

About this study

This study is a two-arm, single-blind pilot randomized controlled trial, and it will be adopted to evaluate the efficacy of the 'AI-driven Vaccine Communicator' relative to being self-informed about Covid-19 vaccines.

Also, to address the widespread hesitancy among Hong Kong residents toward Covid-19 vaccines, we will develop a Web-based psychoeducation programme, 'AI-driven Vaccine Communicator,' driven by artificial intelligence (AI) techniques based on the Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix Model and MI communication skills and concepts (theoretical underpinnings). After developing and piloting this programme, we will test its effectiveness among members of the population who are hesitant about Covid-19 vaccines. The programme will then be refined further and standardised to use the most relevant information and effective communication skills to promote acceptance of Covid-19 vaccines among a wider Hong Kong population. Clinicians and healthcare providers will be able to utilise our programme as a toolkit in their usual practice when working with clients who are hesitant about Covid-19 vaccines.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • 18 years or above;
  • Hong Kong residents;
  • Show vaccine hesitancy (not taking COVID-19 vaccines or receiving involuntary COVID-19 vaccines);
  • have internet access
  • able to read Chinese or English. Recruitment involved social media promotion and collaborating with community organizations

Exclusion criteria

  • People with self-reported cognitive impairments or mental disorders that might interfere with their understanding of the intervention content;
  • People who currently engaged in another clinical trial in relation to Covid-19 vaccines.

Treatment and study plan

AI-driven Vaccine Communicator

Behavioral

The intervention will include five modules web-based psychoeducation programme (two module sessions weekly, each module lasts for 15-20 minutes) and interact with an MI communication skills-based AI, digital assistant.

Self-learning of COVID-19 vaccine knowledge

Behavioral

Participants in the control group will be given HK government websites in COVID-19 vaccine and invite to join the online examination in relation to Covid-19 vaccine knowledge (using multiple choices questions similar to the intervention group), and this is to ensure that participants from the control group also use time to search relevant information of covid-19 vaccines, also this is to control the time effects.

Primary outcomes

  1. Vaccine hesitancy at pre-test

    Time frame: Vaccine hesitancy will be assessed at pre-intervention.

    Vaccine hesitancy measured by Adult Vaccine Hesitancy scale and a single question 'plan for next dose'

  2. Vaccine hesitancy at post-intervention

    Time frame: Vaccine hesitancy will be assessed five weeks post the commencement of the intervention (at post-intervention).

    Vaccine hesitancy measured by Adult Vaccine Hesitancy scale and a single question 'plan for next dose'

  3. Vaccine hesitancy at three months follow-up

    Time frame: Vaccine hesitancy will be assessed after three months follow-up.

    Vaccine hesitancy measured by Adult Vaccine Hesitancy scale and a single question 'plan for next dose'

  4. Vaccine hesitancy at six months follow-up

    Time frame: Vaccine hesitancy will be assessed after six months follow-up.

    Vaccine hesitancy measured by Adult Vaccine Hesitancy scale and a single question 'plan for next dose'

Secondary outcomes

  1. Vaccine confidence at pre-test

    Time frame: Vaccine confidence will be assessed at pre-intervention.

    Vaccine confidence assessed by Vaccine Confidence Index scale

  2. Vaccine confidence at post-intervention

    Time frame: Vaccine confidence will be assessed five weeks post the commencement of the intervention (at post-intervention).

    Vaccine confidence assessed by Vaccine Confidence Index scale

  3. Vaccine confidence at three months follow-up

    Time frame: Vaccine confidence will be assessed after three months follow-up.

    Vaccine confidence assessed by Vaccine Confidence Index scale

  4. Vaccine confidence at six months follow-up

    Time frame: Vaccine confidence will be assessed after six months follow-up.

    Vaccine confidence assessed by Vaccine Confidence Index scale

  5. Vaccine readiness at pre-test

    Time frame: Vaccine readiness will be assessed at pre-intervention.

    Participants' perception of their degree of attitudinal change using three one-item measures of readiness for vaccine perception: How important is it for you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How ready are you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How confident are you about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine?

  6. Vaccine readiness at post-intervention

    Time frame: Vaccine readiness will be assessed five weeks post the commencement of the intervention (at post-intervention).

    Participants' perception of their degree of attitudinal change using three one-item measures of readiness for vaccine perception: How important is it for you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How ready are you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How confident are you about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine?

  7. Vaccine readiness at three months follow up

    Time frame: Vaccine readiness will be assessed after three months follow-up.

    Participants' perception of their degree of attitudinal change using three one-item measures of readiness for vaccine perception: How important is it for you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How ready are you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How confident are you about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine?

  8. Vaccine readiness at six months follow up

    Time frame: Vaccine readiness will be assessed after six months follow-up.

    Participants' perception of their degree of attitudinal change using three one-item measures of readiness for vaccine perception: How important is it for you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How ready are you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?; How confident are you about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine?

  9. Vaccine-Related Health Literacy at pre-test

    Time frame: Vaccine-Related Health Literacy will be assessed at pre-intervention.

    Vaccine-Related Health Literacy assessed by Chinese version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire

  10. Vaccine-Related Health Literacy at post-intervention

    Time frame: Vaccine-Related Health Literacy will be assessed five weeks post the commencement of the intervention (at post-intervention).

    Vaccine-Related Health Literacy assessed by Chinese version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire

  11. Vaccine-Related Health Literacy at three months follow up

    Time frame: Vaccine-Related Health Literacy will be assessed after three months follow-up.

    Vaccine-Related Health Literacy assessed by Chinese version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire

  12. Vaccine-Related Health Literacy at six months follow up

    Time frame: Vaccine-Related Health Literacy will be assessed after six months follow-up.

    Vaccine-Related Health Literacy assessed by Chinese version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire

  13. Trust in government at pre-test

    Time frame: Trust in government will be assessed at pre-intervention.

    Trust in government will be measured with the four-item Vaccine Confidence Index.

  14. Trust in government at post-test

    Time frame: Trust in government will be assessed five weeks post the commencement of the intervention (at post-intervention).

    Trust in government will be measured with the four-item Vaccine Confidence Index.

  15. Trust in government at three-months follow up

    Time frame: Trust in government will be assessed after three-months follow up.

    Trust in government will be measured with the four-item Vaccine Confidence Index.

  16. Trust in government at six-months follow up

    Time frame: Trust in government will be assessed after six-months follow up.

    Trust in government will be measured with the four-item Vaccine Confidence Index.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

[AI-driven Vaccine Communicator: the Impact of a Web-based Psychoeducation Programme with a Motivational AI-based Digital Assistant on Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Hong Kong's Population

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Sep 7, 2022
Registry last updated
Mar 11, 2025

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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