# Creating Innovative Vaccine Messaging by Engaging in Patient-Centered Design with Non-Vaccinating Older Adults

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 2024 · $122,211

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Candidate: Aaron Scherer, PhD is a social psychologist who utilizes insights from the psychological sciences
to create innovative preventive healthcare interventions, primarily for health risks that affect adults aged ≥50.
Dr. Scherer’s long-term career objective is to become an independent investigator leading multidisciplinary
research teams in the design and evaluation of innovative, patient-centered interventions to optimize the
delivery and utilization of preventive health services for middle-aged and older adults.
Research Context: Age-associated changes in immune function and chronic conditions coupled with
suboptimal influenza vaccination rates (50%) result in adults aged ≥50 accounting for 95% of the 50,000
influenza-associated deaths that occur every year. Unfortunately, vaccine messaging strategies that health
organizations currently utilize to increase vaccine uptake have been ineffective and, in some cases have
worsened vaccine attitudes. Motivations to satisfy psychological needs such as managing threats, reducing
uncertainty, and achieve social goals may bias how people process vaccine-related information and vaccine
outcomes. “Motivational fit”, an alignment with a motive that undermines adult vaccine uptake, may be a more
effective mechanism of behavior change to target with vaccine interventions than current approaches.
Specific Aims: 1) Identify which motives have the strongest associations with vaccine outcomes for adults
aged ≥50; 2) Collaborate with vaccine-hesitant adults aged ≥50 to create influenza vaccine messages that
have motivational fit; 3) Conduct a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of a vaccine messaging efficacy study.
Research Plan: To accomplish these aims, Dr. Scherer will use a national, demographically-diverse online
sample of adults aged ≥50 to identify four motives that are most strongly associated with vaccine uptake (i.e.,
largest effect sizes) for adults aged ≥50 and test whether scales measuring these motives need to be vaccine-
specific. He will then collaborate with vaccine-hesitant adults aged ≥50 to develop and test influenza vaccine
messages targeting each of the four motives. Finally, he will conduct a pilot study with a clinical population to
evaluate the feasibility of conducting planned efficacy studies of the motivational fit vaccine messages.
Career Development Plan: Dr. Scherer will develop 1) foundational content knowledge in the aging process
to engage in aging research, and expertise in 2) psychometrics; 3) patient-centered design; and 4) health
services research with adults aged ≥50. Dr. Scherer’s training goals will be supported by close mentorship
from an interdisciplinary team; advanced didactic coursework; and other career development opportunities.
Environment: The University of Iowa offers an ideal environment for Dr. Scherer to pursue his training; with
mentorship from well-established experts, additional guidance from an advisory committee, and a de...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10849875
- **Project number:** 5K01AG065440-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **Principal Investigator:** Aaron Michael Scherer
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $122,211
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2025-04-01

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10849875

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10849875, Creating Innovative Vaccine Messaging by Engaging in Patient-Centered Design with Non-Vaccinating Older Adults (5K01AG065440-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10849875. Licensed CC0.

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