Chatbot nudges parents toward flu shots for preschoolers
NCT ID NCT07687719
First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a chatbot delivered through WhatsApp can help mothers decide to get their children aged 3-6 vaccinated against seasonal flu. Mothers are randomly assigned to receive either a chatbot that tailors its messages to their readiness to vaccinate or a standard chatbot. The goal is to see if the personalized approach increases vaccination rates more than the standard one.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Chatbot-delivered stage-of-change-tailored online intervention
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a scalable, low-cost way to increase childhood flu vaccination rates using widely available messaging apps.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is relatively small (426 participants) and focuses on mothers in Hong Kong, so results may not apply to other populations or settings. The intervention's effect may be modest or short-lived.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 426 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Mothers aged ≥18 years with at least one child aged 3-6 years studying in kindergarten in Hong Kong * Cantonese speaking * Having smartphone with internet access * Already having WhatsApp on the smartphone Exclusion Criteria: * Blindness or deafness * The index child has known medical contraindications for seasonal influenza vaccination
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
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