In a randomized clinical trial, Peter Szilagyi of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues found that personalized reminders in the form of videos or postcards with their own photos created by primary care physicians for their patients did not help increase seasonal flu vaccination rates. The trial involved 21 primary care physicians from the UCLA Health system and their 22,233 patients (62.8 percent female) who had not been vaccinated. Each physician recorded a video message, created a postcard with their photo, and randomly sent one-third of their patients one message, one-third another message, and one-third nothing through a patient portal. The messages were sent up to three times in October, November, and December, and vaccination rates were assessed through April 1 of the following year. The results were published in JAMA Network Open.
14.4 percent of patients were under 18 years of age (messages were received by their parents or guardians); 66.1 percent were 18–64 years old; and 19.55 percent were 65 years and older. 84.9 percent had private health insurance. Overall seasonal influenza vaccination coverage was 48.0 percent in the video message group; 47.5 percent in the postcard group; and 46.9 percent in the no message group (not statistically significant). Among children, active engagement slightly but significantly increased coverage: 58.4 percent for video messages (p < 0.001); 55.1 percent for postcards, and 54.5 percent for no videos or postcards (p = 0.04 compared with active interventions).
