JAMA Netw Open

Physician videos may boost flu vaccination rates in children

August 18, 2025

Study details: This 3-arm randomized trial at UCLA Health (NCT06062264) included 22,233 patients ≥6 months who hadn’t received an influenza vaccine. Patients were randomized to receive usual care, a physician-recorded video, or an infographic featuring their physician’s photo and a scripted message encouraging vaccination. Messages were sent via the patient portal ≤3 times during the 2023–2024 flu season.

Results: Overall vaccination rates by April 1, 2024, were similar across groups: 47% (usual care), 48% (video), and 48% (infographic). Neither intervention achieved a statistically significant increase over usual care (video vs. control: P=.06, adjusted risk ratio [ARR] 1.03 [95% CI, 1.00–1.06]; infographic vs. control: P=.16, ARR 1.02 [95% CI, 0.99–1.06]). Subgroup analyses and adjusted models confirmed the lack of effect. However, among children, vaccination rates were higher in both intervention arms—58.4% for video and 55.1% for infographic—compared with 54.5% in usual care (P<001 for video; P=.04 for usual care).

Clinical impact: While physician-created messages didn't improve adult vaccination rates, video messages showed promise for increasing uptake in children. These findings support the use of personalized physician outreach to address pediatric vaccine hesitancy and suggest further innovation is needed to improve adult vaccination coverage.

Source:

Szilagyi PG, et al. (2025, August 13). JAMA Netw Open. Video and Infographic Messages From Primary Care Physicians and Influenza Vaccination Rates: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40802184/