Using a virtual reality
simulation to show how flu spreads and its impact on others could be a way to
encourage more people to get a flu vaccination, according to a study by
researchers at the University of Georgia and the Oak Ridge Associated
Universities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This is the first published study to look
at immersive virtual reality as a communication tool for improving flu
vaccination rates among flu vaccine avoidant 18- to 49-year-old adults. The
research was conducted by faculty at Grady College of Journalism and Mass
Communication. The research was conducted with support from a grant and
researchers from ORAU. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention during the 2017-18 flu season, only 26.9% of 18- to 49-year-olds in
the United States received a recommended annual influenza vaccination even
though it is recommended for all 18- to 49-year-olds. The low current
acceptance of flu vaccination makes it important to identify more persuasive
ways to educate these adults about flu vaccination. The findings from this
study suggest one-way virtual reality can be more effective as it can create a
sense of presence or feeling like one is a part of what is happening. The 171
participants in this study self-identified as those who had not received a flu
shot last year and did not plan to receive one during the 2017-18 influenza
season.
In the study, participants were
randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) a five-minute virtual reality
experience; 2) a five-minute video that was identical to the VR experience but
without the 3-dimensional and interactive elements; 3) an e-pamphlet that used
text and pictures from the video presented on a tablet computer; and 4) a
control condition that only viewed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s influenza Vaccination Information Statement, which is often
provided before a flu vaccine is given and describes benefits and risks.
Participants in the VR, video and e-pamphlet conditions also viewed the CDC VIS
before answering a series of questions regarding flu vaccination, including
whether they would get a flu vaccine. In the VR condition, participants were
provided headsets, which enabled them to vividly experience the information and
events being shown as if they were in the story, and video game controllers,
which enabled them to actively participate at points in the story. Compared to video or the e-pamphlet, the VR
condition created a stronger perception of presence which increased
participants’ concern about transmitting flu to others. This increased concern
was associated with greater confidence that one’s flu vaccination would protect
others, more positive beliefs about flu vaccine and increased intention to get
a flu vaccination.
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