Project Details
Development and piloting of a decision coaching intervention to support informed decision-making regarding vaccination against COVID-19
Description
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is creating major medical, social and economic challenges worldwide. From a public health perspective, there is an interest in achieving the highest possible vaccination rate against COVID-19 among adults. The aim is to protect people from the transmission of infectious diseases through herd immunity. Great efforts will be required to achieve this rate. Vaccination is not currently mandatory in Germany.
People have a right to an individual and informed decision regarding vaccination against COVID-19. An informed decision is one that is made by those affected based on sufficient knowledge of the alternative courses of action and in accordance with their personal values and preferences.
Overall, 31% of unvaccinated people are undecided, unsure or reluctant to be vaccinated. There are many reasons for the lack of willingness to be vaccinated.
The current provision of information may be too one-sided, even if the willingness to be vaccinated appears to be high at present. There are also differences in the acceptance of the available vaccines.
In order to be able to decide for or against vaccination, people need trustworthy and comprehensive information that clearly presents the advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives, uncertainties and the probabilities of benefits and potential risks.
At present, there is no individual decision-making support that uncovers the causes of decision-making conflicts and seeks solutions to them.
The aim of the research project is to develop a complex intervention consisting of non-directive decision coaching by trained healthcare professionals. People are encouraged and supported to use and understand evidence-based health information in the decision-making process. They have the opportunity to clarify their own values and preferences regarding the options and expected outcomes and ultimately discuss the preferred option with others
The coaching intervention is intended to enable various groups (e.g. young people, vulnerable groups, healthcare professionals) to make informed decisions regarding vaccination against COVID-19. Healthcare professionals will receive training in advance.
The intervention will be developed and piloted in an iterative process based on the MRC framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions (phase 1 and 2 study).