Helping improve vaccine outreach and communication in rural communities
UI Advancing Research in Immunization Services Network Coordinating Center
The team will create and share vaccine messages that match what matters to people to help boost vaccine confidence and uptake in rural U.S. communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11186975 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be invited to try different ways of talking about vaccines that match what matters most to you—such as safety concerns, certainty, social responsibility, or interest in numbers. The team will work with local clinics and community partners, especially in rural areas, to deliver these messages and collect feedback. They will compare which messages make people feel more confident about vaccines and lead more people to get vaccinated. The coordinating center will share successful approaches across sites so more communities can use them.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants include people living in rural U.S. communities who are unvaccinated, under-vaccinated, or hesitant about vaccines, including parents and young adults.
Not a fit: People who are already fully vaccinated and confident about vaccines, or those living outside the participating rural areas, are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could raise vaccine confidence and increase vaccination rates in rural areas, reducing the risk of outbreaks.
How similar studies have performed: Many past vaccination interventions have had limited impact, and using 'motivational fit' messaging is a newer approach with some promising early data but not yet widely proven.
Where this research is happening
Iowa City, United States
- University of Iowa — Iowa City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Askelson, Natoshia M. — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Askelson, Natoshia M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.