Does correcting myths about the flu vaccine work? An experimental evaluation of the effects of corrective information
Vaccine·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.11.017
- PMID
- 25499651
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W2016277644
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The findings indicate that myth-correction approaches to influenza vaccine promotion may have unintended effects among subgroups most concerned about side effects, and the authors suggest this may not be an effective strategy for increasing immunization.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study examines whether correcting the myth that the seasonal influenza vaccine can cause influenza affects belief in the myth, safety concerns, and future vaccination intent.
Study design
A nationally representative survey experiment conducted in the United States that compared the effects of CDC-adapted corrective information about influenza vaccination.
Population and setting
A nationally representative U.S. survey sample of the general public, with respondents segmented by baseline level of concern about vaccine side effects.
Main findings
Approximately 43% of respondents believed the flu vaccine can give you the flu. Corrective information significantly reduced belief in this myth and reduced safety concerns overall. Among respondents with high concern about vaccine side effects, the correction significantly reduced intent to vaccinate, an effect not observed among those with low concern.
Public-health relevance
The findings indicate that myth-correction approaches to influenza vaccine promotion may have unintended effects among subgroups most concerned about side effects, and the authors suggest this may not be an effective strategy for increasing immunization.
Important limitations
This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and bibliographic metadata; explicit study limitations (e.g., generalizability, behavioral vs. stated intent outcomes, durability of effects) are not reported in the abstract and require review of the original paper.
GIDS interpretation
The article is indexed under influenza, vaccination, and vaccine safety topics, indicating relevance to discoverability of evidence on communication strategies for vaccine confidence; no connection to a live surveillance signal is made.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 13 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.