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. 2023 Jun 30:11:1195751.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1195751. eCollection 2023.

LetsTalkShots: personalized vaccine risk communication

Daniel A Salmon  1   2   3 , Matthew Z Dudley  1   2 , Janesse Brewer  1   2 , Jana Shaw  4   5 , Holly B Schuh  6 , Tina M Proveaux  1   2 , Amelia M Jamison  3 , Amanda Forr  1 , Michelle Goryn  1 , Robert F Breiman  7 , Walter A Orenstein  8 , Lee-Sien Kao  9 , Robina Josiah Willock  10 , Michelle Cantu  11 , Tori Decea  11 , Robin Mowson  11 , Kate Tsubata  12 , Lucie Marisa Bucci  13 , Jaqueline Lawler  14 , James D Watkins  15 , Jamie W Moore  16 , James H Fugett  16 , Adriele Fugal  17 , Yazmine Tovar  17 , Marie Gay  14 , Aleen M Cary  1 , Iulia Vann  18 , Lee B Smith  16 , Lilly Kan  11 , Magda Mankel  19 , Sumayya Beekun  2   20 , Victoria Smith  15 , Stephanie D Adams  21 , Steven A Harvey  2 , Peter Z Orton  1
Affiliations

LetsTalkShots: personalized vaccine risk communication

Daniel A Salmon et al. Front Public Health. .

Erratum in

  • Corrigendum: LetsTalkShots: personalized vaccine risk communication.
    Salmon DA, Dudley MZ, Brewer J, Shaw J, Schuh HB, Proveaux TM, Jamison AM, Forr A, Goryn M, Breiman RF, Orenstein WA, Kao LS, Josiah Willock R, Cantu M, Decea T, Mowson R, Tsubata K, Bucci LM, Lawler J, Watkins JD, Moore JW, Fugett JH, Fugal A, Tovar Y, Gay M, Cary AM, Vann I, Smith LB, Kan L, Mankel M, Beekun S, Smith V, Adams SD, Harvey SA, Orton PZ. Salmon DA, et al. Front Public Health. 2023 Oct 30;11:1311055. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1311055. eCollection 2023. Front Public Health. 2023. PMID: 38026293 Free PMC article.

Abstract

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy is a global health threat undermining control of many vaccine-preventable diseases. Patient-level education has largely been ineffective in reducing vaccine concerns and increasing vaccine uptake. We built and evaluated a personalized vaccine risk communication website called LetsTalkShots in English, Spanish and French (Canadian) for vaccines across the lifespan. LetsTalkShots tailors lived experiences, credible sources and informational animations to disseminate the right message from the right messenger to the right person, applying a broad range of behavioral theories.

Methods: We used mixed-methods research to test our animation and some aspects of credible sources and personal narratives. We conducted 67 discussion groups (n = 325 persons), stratified by race/ethnicity (African American, Hispanic, and White people) and population (e.g., parents, pregnant women, adolescents, younger adults, and older adults). Using a large Ipsos survey among English-speaking respondents (n = 2,272), we tested animations aligned with vaccine concerns and specific to population (e.g., parents of children, parents of adolescents, younger adults, older adults).

Results: Discussion groups provided robust feedback specific to each animation as well as areas for improvements across animations. Most respondents indicated that the information presented was interesting (85.5%), clear (96.0%), helpful (87.0%), and trustworthy (82.2%).

Discussion: Tailored vaccine risk communication can assist decision makers as they consider vaccination for themselves, their families, and their communities. LetsTalkShots presents a model for personalized communication in other areas of medicine and public health.

Keywords: COVID-19; communication; tailored application; vaccine hesitancy; vaccines.

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Conflict of interest statement

DS has received research support from Merck and serves on advisory boards for Merck, Janssen Moderna, and Sanofi. MD has received research support from Merck. KT was employed by Bonnemaison. LB was employed by Bucci-Hepworth Health Services Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Tailoring algorithm for COVID-19.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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