Do personal story and informational videos encourage older adults to get vaccinated?

Can Stories Encourage the Elderly to Vaccinate? Combining Viewer-tailored Personal Narrative Videos With Informational Videos to Improve Vaccine Uptake Among Older Adults

Not applicable Interventional Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health · NCT06890403

This project will try informational videos, personal story videos, and a mix of both to see which best increases vaccination among U.S. adults aged 50 and older.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment6000 (estimated)
Ages50 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Academic / other
Locations1 site (New York, New York)
Trial IDNCT06890403 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Participants aged 50 and older in the United States will be shown one of three video formats: an informational animation, a personal narrative, or a combination of both, and their subsequent vaccination behavior will be tracked. The intervention is delivered via participants' own devices and requires completion of pre- and post-viewing surveys. Recruitment and data collection are conducted in partnership with Ipsos, with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as the lead sponsor and Merck collaborating. The trial compares the relative effectiveness of narrative versus informational messaging on vaccine uptake in an older adult population.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: U.S. adults aged 50 and older who can view and listen to videos on their device and complete brief surveys are ideal candidates for this project.

Not a fit: People who cannot or will not view videos on their device, who fail to complete required surveys, or who are already firmly unwilling to be vaccinated are unlikely to benefit from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could identify simple, scalable video messaging that increases vaccination rates among older adults.

How similar studies have performed: Prior communication research shows mixed but promising results for personal narratives improving vaccine attitudes, though evidence on actual uptake among older adults is limited.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* U.S. adults aged 50 and older

Exclusion Criteria:

* Participants who do not complete the survey
* Participants who are unable or refuse to view and listen to videos on the participant's device

Where this trial is running

New York, New York

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Vaccinationvaccinenarrativecommunicationvideos
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.