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Focus of immunization message matters to pregnant women
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BETHESDA, Md. — Influenza vaccination educational materials geared toward pregnant women should focus on susceptibility to illness during gestation and the protective nature of vaccines, according to study findings presented here.
Paula M. Frew, MPH, PhD, assistant professor, division of infectious diseases at Emory University, and colleagues randomly assigned 251 women to one of three types of messages: 1) gain-framed messages that promoted benefits of immunization during pregnancy; 2) loss-framed messages that depicted costs of refusing immunization during pregnancy; or 3) the CDC vaccine information sheet, which served as the control. Women participating in the study were aged 18 to 50 years and had not received an influenza or tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine that year.
Univariate analyses showed the three most significant factors associated with intent to immunize were increased susceptibility to developing influenza during pregnancy (OR=10.53; 90% CI, 4.34-25.5); prior influenza immunization within the past 5 years (OR=2.31; 90% CI, 1.06-5); and normative support concerning immunization during pregnancy (OR=3.83; 90% CI, 1.75-8.36). Women who received loss-framed messages were more willing to pay for vaccination than those in the control group. Overall, if women felt more susceptible to infection, they were more likely to be vaccinated.
Researchers found that single-message exposure was not a significant factor in determining women’s intent to immunize. Those who provide immunization education can draw from the study findings to create messages that incorporate all three approaches while keeping in mind the factors most associated with intent to immunize, according to Frew.
“In terms of messaging, what we take from the study is that the future messages that we shape will want to focus on the protective nature of the vaccine; again, dealing with the issues around effectiveness as well as susceptibility — that pregnant women and their fetuses can experience severe consequences for forgoing influenza vaccination during pregnancy. In terms of normative support, because this was such a strong factor, we feel that the vaccine education materials and campaigns in the future really should be targeting family and friends who exert significant approval and influence over their decision-making,” Frew said during the presentation.
For more information:
Frew P. Abstract #22. Presented at: Annual Conference on Vaccine Research; April 28-30, 2014; Bethesda, Md.
Disclosure: One researcher serves as a consultant for Biological Mimetics. All other researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.