Aims of the study
This project will explore how people with weaker immune systems and their close contacts think about the flu vaccine, including potential side effects, and what shapes their vaccination decisions
Study type
Online one-to-one interview (via Microsoft Teams)
Who is able to participate?
You are able to participate in this project if you are either: immunocompromised due to a medical condition or ongoing treatment, OR a household contact of someone who is immunocompromised. You also must be over 18 years old and a resident in the United Kingdom.
Where is the study happening?
Online (Microsoft Teams)
How do I get involved?
Register your interest for the study here:https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/1aUY3J73dx
Summary
We want to understand how people who have weaker immune systems, and their close contacts (such as family members or carers who spend a lot of time with them), think about the flu vaccine. We are especially interested in what people believe about vaccine side effects, how certain they are about what causes these side effects, and how this affects their decisions about getting vaccinated in the future.
Participants will be invited to have a conversation with one of our researchers on a Microsoft Teams call. These conversations will walk participants through a story about someone with an immune weakening condition making the decision about whether to get vaccinated. As the story unfolds, we'll ask what participants would do in the character's situation, and how the story compares to their own experiences. These calls will last 60-90 minutes.
We plan to speak to around 40 people in total (roughly 20 people who have weaker immune systems and 20 close contacts) but will continue until we feel we have heard all the main experiences and ideas.
All participants will be given a £40 VEX gift card after their interview.
All calls will be recorded (with permission) and typed up, removing people's names and replace them with a code, so no one can be identified. We will read through the conversations to look for common ideas and patterns. We hope to publish the results so that others can learn from them.
Has this study received ethical approval?
Yes, Ethical approval has been obtained through King's College London. Ethical Clearance Reference Number: HR-25/26-55868.
Lead investigators
Professor James Rubin, Professor of Psychology & Emerging Health Risks, King’s College London.
Who is funding the study
The NIHR Health Protection Research Focus Award in Outbreak Related Behaviour (ORB).