Chatbot Boosts Vaccination Rates in Argentina
Author Information
Author(s): Dan Brown, Adelaida Barrera, Lucas Ibañez, Iván Budassi, Bridie Murphy, Pujen Shrestha, Sebastian Salomon-Ballada, Jorge Kriscovich, Fernando Torrente
Primary Institution: Behavioural Insights Team, London, UK
Hypothesis
Can a behaviourally informed chatbot increase COVID-19 vaccination rates more effectively than a one-way reminder?
Conclusion
The behaviourally informed chatbot more than tripled COVID-19 vaccine uptake compared to the control group and nearly doubled it compared to a one-way message reminder.
Supporting Evidence
- The chatbot increased vaccination rates by 1.56 percentage points compared to the control group.
- Vaccination rates were nearly doubled when compared to a one-way message reminder.
- High engagement was observed with 25% of users interacting with the chatbot.
Takeaway
A smart chatbot helped people in Argentina get vaccinated by giving them personalized information and reminders, making it easier for them to get their shots.
Methodology
A three-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted with 249,705 participants to compare the effectiveness of a behaviourally informed chatbot against a control group and a one-way message reminder.
Potential Biases
The chatbot's effectiveness may not apply to those who are strongly opposed to vaccination.
Limitations
The study did not include individuals who were vaccine-resistant, limiting the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
48.5% men, 51.5% women; ages: 28.0% (18-29), 47% (30-49), 24.3% (50+).
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
(1.36 pp, 1.77 pp)
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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