Clinical Research Directory

Dengue Vaccine Hesitancy Among International Travelers

The goal of this cross-sectional study is to study dengue vaccine hesitancy among 390 international travelers who visit the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, and three public sites which are the area near the Grand Palace, Khaosan Road, and the snake farm at Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute. The main question it aims to answer is what are the factors associated with the dengue vaccine hesitancy among non-endemic international travelers visiting Thailand. Participants will do the questionnaire consists of three parts 1. Questionnaire to estimate vaccine hesitancy on each 5 domains. 2. Knowledge about dengue infection and vaccination 3. Demographics data of the participants The study prioritizes ethical considerations, confidentiality, and data management to ensure participant welfare and data security.

Development and Evaluation of a Digital Educational Intervention to Improve Vaccine Confidence and Communication Among Registered Nurses: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (VaxNurse-RCT).

Nurses play an important role in providing vaccine information and supporting informed vaccination decisions. This study will evaluate a digital educational intervention designed for registered nurses in Quebec. The intervention will provide education about vaccination, including immunology, epidemiology, vaccine communication, motivational interviewing, and responding to vaccine misinformation. Registered nurses will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or a control group. The study will examine whether the intervention improves vaccine confidence and vaccine communication compared with the control group. Participants will complete questionnaires before and after the intervention, with follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months. The study will assess vaccine hesitancy and changes in vaccine-related knowledge, communication skills, and vaccination recommendation practices. The findings will help determine whether a digital educational intervention can support nurses in their vaccine-related communication and professional practice.

Communication Strategies to Increase HPV Vaccinations

This research aims to identify communication strategies to improve the uptake of vaccines using an experimental design, focusing on the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which is highly effective in preventing HPV-related cancers. However, low HPV vaccination rates among adults remain a significant public health challenge. Although randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated that interventions can increase vaccine uptake in children, few RCTs have been conducted among adults. To address this gap, a multidisciplinary investigative team with expertise in communication, medicine, nursing, and behavior-change intervention research will conduct a survey experiment and a cluster randomized controlled trial. First, a national sample of adults ages 18 to 45 who have not received the HPV vaccine or are unsure of their vaccination status will participate in a survey experiment to identify the most promising theory-based messages to strengthen HPV vaccine intentions. The two messages associated with the largest increases in vaccination intentions will then be selected for further testing. Next, 16 Penn Medicine primary care clinics will participate in a factorial cluster randomized controlled trial to test patient-level and clinic-level interventions designed to increase HPV vaccine uptake. Patient-level interventions will include theory-based text messages and a reminder-only message condition. The clinic-level intervention will provide healthcare providers with feedback on missed opportunities for HPV vaccination and a toolkit to support strong HPV vaccine recommendations. The study will evaluate whether these interventions increase receipt of the first HPV vaccine among eligible adult patients and whether combining patient-directed messages with the clinic-level intervention further increases HPV vaccination. HPV vaccination will be assessed using Penn Medicine electronic health records and, when needed, patient self-report.

Improving Vaccine Acceptance Through EHR Integrated Patient- and Provider-Facing Decision Support

The goal of this project is to establish the technical feasibility of a scalable, integrated platform to improve patient informed decision-making and increase vaccine uptake and to evaluate the effectiveness of the integrated platform to improve vaccine uptake.

Microbe-Literacy Germ-Watching Workshops for Hygiene and Vaccine Acceptance in Sargodha, Pakistan

This cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated whether a single microscope-based "germ-watching" workshop, delivered by Lady Health Workers (LHWs) to mothers and female caregivers of children under three years, improves hygiene practices, vaccination attitudes and intentions, routine immunization, and trust in LHWs. Twelve Union Councils in Sargodha District, Pakistan, were allocated 1:1 to the intervention or routine services, with outcomes measured by structured baseline and endline surveys and facility immunization records.

RADx-UP Phase 3D (Oregon Saludable: Juntos Podemos)

The ongoing Oregon Saludable: Juntos Podemos (OSJP, Healthy Oregon: Together We Can) project was developed to directly address the COVID-19 related health disparities among Latinx communities through community engagement funded by Phase I and II of the RADx-UP initiative. This project is organized by the University of Oregon's Oregon Saludable: Juntos Podemos (OSJP) project. In this Phase III study, study investigators build on the successful Phase I and Phase II partnerships with Latinx-serving community-based organizations and the project's established Community Scientific Advisory Board (CSAB) to employ a data-informed approach for implementing preventive interventions designed to advance health equity and ameliorate health disparities among vulnerable populations. Based on identity-stress and stereotype threat models for racial and ethnic minorities, study investigators will further tailor the Promotores de Salud COVID-19 evidence-based health promotion intervention to experimentally evaluate a brief behavioral self-affirming implementation intention (SAII) intervention; an approach that is evidence-based for increasing acceptance of health messaging, increasing intentions to change, increasing health promoting behaviors, and decreasing psychological distress. In collaboration with the Mexican Consulate (MC), research team members will attend the MC mobile events, invite MC attendees to participate in the research study and complete a survey, offer the Promotores de Salud, and SAII intervention to all attendees (if event is assigned to the intervention condition), and distribute rapid tests to participants.

Online Games to Help Canadian and U.S. Adults Identify COVID-19 and Vaccine Misinformation: Three Sequential Randomized Studies

COVID-19 misinformation contributed to vaccine hesitancy and preventable illness. This record covers three sequential randomized studies (conducted in Canada and the United States, November-December 2020) testing whether a brief online game helps adults identify COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation. In the game, participants judged whether statements about COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccines were true or false and immediately received the correct answer with a brief evidence-based explanation, delivered in a game-like format with points, ranks, and feedback. Study 1 (Canada, n = 2,018) randomized participants to complete the knowledge assessment either before playing the game or immediately after playing it. Studies 2 (U.S., n = 822) and 3 (U.S., n = 797) compared the game against the identical corrective content presented as plain text, for general COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine-specific misinformation, respectively. The hypothesis was that gamified corrective information produces more accurate knowledge than non-gamified information. The primary outcome was accuracy in identifying true and false claims; vaccination intention was a secondary outcome.

Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy With Muliti-Level Interventions in Appalachia

The purpose of this community-engaged study is to test the ability of county-level strategies to increase uptake of COVID-19 vaccination. In this study the key objective is to test whether health communication strategies or health communication + county-specific structural/environmental support increases COVID-19 vaccine uptake and changes perceptions and beliefs about the vaccination at the county-level.

COVID-19 Vaccine Education at the Point of Testing to Increase Vaccine Uptake in Vulnerable Communities in SE Louisiana

This project is a 2-year study to investigate vaccine hesitancy and vaccine completion among vulnerable communities in the Southeastern Louisiana region. This study will be used to track COVID-19 vaccine completion among patients who seek testing, either as in-person or purchasing at home COVID testing, from pharmacies, urgent cares and clinics using a rapid vaccine education model delivered at the point of care.

Predicting Vaccine Hesitancy Using Machine Learning

In recent years, emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Virtual Reality (VR) have rapidly become integrated into daily life. The widespread use of these applications has led to the accumulation of vast amounts of data, giving rise to what is commonly referred to as "Big Data." Due to the sheer volume, manual processing and analysis of these large datasets are not feasible. Therefore, software tools and libraries-such as Python and R libraries-have been developed to perform these analyses efficiently and to generate predictions for the future by leveraging historical data through Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. The primary goal of machine learning algorithms is to discover patterns within existing data and use these patterns to make accurate predictions on new data. The use of machine learning in the field of healthcare has gained significant momentum in recent years. However, a review of the literature reveals that research specifically addressing childhood vaccine hesitancy remains limited. This study aims to identify the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy among parents of children aged 0-48 months and to develop a predictive model using machine learning techniques based on these factors. Such a model could help anticipate the likelihood of vaccine refusal among parents and thereby support the development of targeted public health strategies for at-risk populations.

Vaccine Confidence Study Among Historically Marginalized Racial and Ethnic Groups

Achieving optimal vaccination rates is vital for protecting the health and well-being of all individuals. This specific study focuses on the MMR and RSV vaccines in pregnancy and early childhood, which have been shown to reduce RSV and MMR-related illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. Efforts to improve vaccination rates have not been equally effective across the entire population; this has resulted in poorer outcomes from interventions for certain populations who are vaccine-hesitant. This study seeks to understand how to best increase vaccine confidence in marginalized populations. To do this, the investigators will interview parents of children who receive care at Boston Medical Center (BMC), Community Health Workers and other Clinical providers at BMC, leading experts in the fields of vaccine confidence and implementation science, and key public health stakeholders/officials.

Parents' Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Vaccinating Their Children

Purpose: To identify and evaluate the factors that influence parents' attitudes towards vaccination. Objectives: 1. To assess parents' level of knowledge about vaccines 2. To assess parents' attitudes and behavior regarding vaccine administration. 3. To observe whether there is a link between various socio-demographic factors and their knowledge about vaccines. 4. To assess the relationship and communication between doctors and parents. 5. To evaluate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents' trust in vaccines. Method Distribution of questionnaires to parents of patients under 18 years of age admitted in the Emergency Children's Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Paediatrics Clinic III. Collection of clinical data by applying questionnaires completed voluntarily by parents

Effect of Primary Care Education on Parents' Health-Related Perceptions and Attitudes

This study aims to evaluate the effect of a structured education program delivered in primary health care settings on parents of children aged 0-2 years. The education focuses on childhood vaccination and related health perceptions. Parents will receive education covering childhood vaccines, vaccine hesitancy, evaluation of vaccine-related information obtained from digital sources, eco-anxiety, and perceived vulnerability to diseases. The study examines whether this education influences parents' levels of vaccine hesitancy, digital vaccine literacy, eco-anxiety, and perceived vulnerability to diseases. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of effective educational interventions in primary health care services to support informed parental decision-making regarding childhood vaccination.

Active Health Education to Increase HPV Vaccine Coverage in Youth: A Stepped-wedge, Cluster, and Randomized Trial

This study aims to evaluate the impact of active health education methodologies on increasing adherence to the HPV vaccine among schoolchildren. The project will involve 196 schools across Brazil, encompassing a total of 5,000 students. A stepped-wedge implementation design will be applied, with clusters being randomized every two months to one of four interventions. Each intervention will be implemented in 48 schools.

A Survey of Acceptance and Factors Associated With Hesitancy Vaccination in Northeast Brazil

The objective of this study is to investigate vaccination acceptance and identify the reasons why people are not vaccinated. People over 18 years of age who live in neighborhoods with socioeconomic vulnerability and with many cases of infectious diseases, as well as health professionals, will respond to a research questionnaire.

The Impact of Community and Patient Engagement Practices on Vaccine Confidence in the United States

The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate an empirical relationship between community- engagement practices, and between patient-centric clinical trial design, execution and communication practices, and vaccine adoption experience. Our hypothesis is that patient-centric clinical trial activity, and community engagement in late-stage clinical trials and early-stage commercialization, reduces vaccine hesitancy and increases vaccine confidence among health care providers overall and within diverse patient communities and ultimately drives faster vaccine adoption.

Supporting CHWs as Vaccine Educators: Impact of a Digital Training and Chatbot Intervention on Vaccination in Kenya

This study seeks to understand how to support community health workers (CHWs) to improve routine vaccination rates in high-need areas by testing a two-part intervention. The first part of the intervention is a digital training provided to CHWs, which includes videos and job aids on vaccine education to support patient communication. The second part of the intervention is a patient-facing chatbot that CHWs can share with their patients. The chatbot is designed to answer patient questions about routine immunization. The intervention will be implemented in two sub-counties in Migori County Kenya (Awendo and Nyatike) that Lwala Community Health Alliance has identified as high need with respect to vaccine education. We hypothesize that the intervention will increase knowledge about routine immunization among CHWs and patients, increase vaccine acceptance, intent-to-vaccinate, and vaccination rates among patients in the treatment group.