NCT03956329

Flu and Mood in Older Adults

Enhancing Influenza Vaccination by Optimising Mood in Older Adults: a Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 654 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Nottingham · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Randomised control trial comparing the effects of a standardised and individualised positive affect digital intervention versus usual care on mood and antibody responses to influenza vaccination in older adults.

Detailed description

Infectious diseases are important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and vaccinations are vital to reducing the risk of disease. Vaccine efficacy, however, is dependent on the immune system's ability to respond to vaccination antigens. Influenza vaccines play an important role in combating influenza. However, some populations, such as older adults, respond poorly to vaccination due to their compromised immune systems, with efficacy at 17-53% (compared to 70-90% in young adults). Behavioural and psychological influences have been shown to alter immune responses. An observational study looking into behavioural and psychological effects, which have been identified as immune modulators (stress, physical activity, nutrition, mood and sleep) found greater positive mood on the day of vaccination predicted significantly greater antibody responses to influenza vaccination. Following this, a feasibility study carried out on 110 older adults demonstrated the ability to enhance positive mood prior to influenza vaccination using a brief digital intervention. The clinical trial will be the next phase of this research, where the cohort will consist of 650 participants, aged over 65 years, who will receive the quadrivalent, cell-grown influenza vaccination, immediately after one of three conditions. These conditions include: the control arm of usual participant care for vaccination; participants watching a 15-minute digital intervention via a tablet that does not allow content selection; and a personalised digital intervention that allows for participant selection of content they would like to view for 15 minutes. The purpose of these digital interventions is to enhance positive mood of patients prior to vaccination. The primary aim of this trial is to explore which of two brief interventions has the largest effect on positive mood, compared with usual care. The secondary aim is to measure vaccine specific antibody responses, with the hypothesis that individuals with enhanced positive mood will present larger vaccine specific antibody responses. This trial will also allow data collection on exploring recruitment, attrition, intervention engagement, and practicality of collecting clinical data available through electronic records and self-report measures to inform the design of a future definitive trial.

Conditions

• Vaccination
• Infection

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Standardised Digital Intervention	Video intervention designed to induce an increase in positive mood in older adults. Includes comedy clips, uplifting music and positive imagery. Intervention approximately 15-20 minutes in length. This includes 3 short comedy clips (fork handles sketch, the two Ronnie's; A room with a view - faulty towers; Tim Vine Live stand-up extract), uplifting music (Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley; Happy Together - The Turtles), jokes and positive imagery. The content of the intervention has been informed by patient and public involvement, focus groups with older adults, and pilot testing.
OTHER	Individualised Digital Intervention	Similar to the standardised digital intervention, however, participants will be able to individualise the intervention by choosing video clips from a limited menu of choices. Intervention approximately 15-20 minutes in length. The 4 categories include stand-up comedy (Michael McIntyre, Tim Vine and Victoria Wood), sit-com (Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses and Two Ronnies), music (Elvis Presley, Last Night at the Proms, Roy Orbison) and variety (Britain's Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing, Terry Wogan). Participants are able to select 3 of the videos, which are roughly 5 minutes in length, to reach a total of 15-20 minutes of content.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-08-12
• Primary completion: 2019-11-07
• Completion: 2020-05-30
• First posted: 2019-05-20
• Last updated: 2021-10-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom