Enhancing COVID-19 booster vaccination among the elderly through text message reminders

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Gerontology
• Health Communication

Background:

• Low COVID-19 booster vaccination rates in elderly populations pose a significant public health challenge.
• The Health Belief Model (HBM) provides a framework for understanding health behaviors, including vaccination decisions.
• Targeted interventions are needed to overcome barriers and promote vaccine uptake among older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of SMS text message reminders in increasing COVID-19 booster vaccination rates among elderly patients.
• To assess the impact of the Booster Promotion for Older Outpatients Using SMS Text Reminders (BOOST) program.
• To explore predictors of responsiveness to SMS reminders in the elderly population.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving 3,500 eligible patients aged 65 and above at Taipei Veterans General Hospital.
• Personalized SMS text reminders were sent one week prior to scheduled COVID-19 booster vaccination appointments.
• Cox regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of vaccination uptake.

Main Results:

• The BOOST program achieved a 38% increase in COVID-19 booster vaccination rates over five weeks.
• This rate significantly surpassed the national increase of 4% for the same demographic during the study period.
• Vaccination uptake was highest when reminders were sent within four months of the last dose, with a single reminder proving effective.

Conclusions:

• SMS text reminders are a feasible and effective strategy for promoting COVID-19 booster vaccination among the elderly.
• The BOOST program, guided by HBM principles, successfully enhanced vaccination uptake by addressing perceived barriers and benefits.
• This approach offers a scalable solution for public health communication to improve immunization rates in older adults.