A recent study led by Denver Health pediatrician and researcher Josh Williams, MD, has found that text messages and digital stories co-created with community members can help improve flu vaccination rates among children in underserved communities. The research, titled “Narrative Reminder Recall to Improve Pediatric Influenza Vaccination,” was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open.
The study examined how caregivers responded to receiving text messages written by their peers, along with links to digital stories featuring personal narratives from community members. According to Dr. Williams, “Our goal was to uplift the voices of the communities we serve. Caregivers who received texts messages written by their peers and watched their stories were 63% more likely to vaccinate their children by season’s end, compared to caregivers who received a usual prompt from our health system. To us, this means that community members can be trusted voices in the discussions we have to improve vaccine confidence and save lives.”
Seasonal influenza remains a serious health risk for vulnerable groups. In Colorado this season, there has already been a child death linked to flu complications. Previous research indicates that children from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds are two to three times more likely than others to contract influenza, require hospitalization or die from it. Health authorities recommend annual flu vaccination for all children aged six months or older.
Dr. Williams noted ongoing challenges but highlighted the promise of this approach: “There’s lots more work to be done to optimize and spread stories,” he said. “But this study is the first attempt to implement text messages with community stories that we’re aware of. As a pediatrician who seeks to build trust – especially with those who have historically distrusted healthcare systems and providers – this was a rewarding and uplifting result. to see improved rates of vaccination when caregivers were able to connect with community members.”
