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Article

ImmunizziAMO: A School-Based Field Trial to Teach New Generations the Importance of Vaccination through Games and to Fight Vaccine Hesitancy in Italy

by
Giuseppe La Torre
1,*,
Valeria D’Egidio
1,
Cristina Sestili
1,
Rosario Andrea Cocchiara
1,
Sara Cianfanelli
1,
Ornella Di Bella
1,
Lorenza Lia
1,
Barbara Dorelli
1,
Vittoria Cammalleri
1,
Insa Backhaus
1,
Federica Pagano
1,
Chiara Anguissola
2,
Amelia Vitiello
3,
Rita Carsetti
4,
Alice Mannocci
1 and
Giochiamo Collaborative Group
5
1
Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
2
Explora il Museo dei Bambini di Roma, 00196 Rome, Italy
3
Comitato nazionale contro la meningite, 04100 Latina, Italy
4
Immunological Diagnosis Unit, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
5
Giochiamo Collaborative Group, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Vaccines 2020, 8(2), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8020280
Submission received: 17 May 2020 / Revised: 28 May 2020 / Accepted: 4 June 2020 / Published: 5 June 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vaccination and Public Health: Optimizing Vaccine Uptake through the Application of Social and Behavioral Science Theory, Principles, and Strategies)
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Abstract

Background: Vaccines simulate the first contact with infectious agents and evoke the immunological response without causing the disease and its complications. High rates of immunization among the population guarantee the interruption of the transmission chain of infectious diseases. Therefore, the population should be aware of the value of vaccination and motivated. In order to implement the spread of a correct culture about these issues, schools were recognized as a privileged operational setting. The aim of this project was to transmit knowledge and convey educational messages on the importance of vaccines, through the use of games, in elementary school children, their families and teachers. Materials and Methods: A field trial study was implemented between April and October 2019. Sample size calculations highlighted the need to recruit at least 136 students in the schools. The intervention involved 10 classes (five first grade and five s grade classes) and was structured in frontal teaching sessions and gaming sessions. Knowledge was assessed comparing the results of a questionnaire administered before and after the intervention. The questionnaires referred to the following items: dangerousness of bacteria and viruses; capability of defending from microorganisms; the role of antibodies; functioning of the vaccine in a child; type of disease for which a vaccine is efficacious; duration of a vaccine; mother- child transmission of antibodies; herd immunity. Results: 143 children participated in all the phases of the study. The comparison between the scores at the beginning and end of the intervention showed a significant increase in the knowledge about vaccines and immunity. The mean knowledge score arose from 3.52 (SD = 1.67) to 5.97 (SD = 1.81). Conclusions: This study suggests that the use of games in an elementary school effectively increase the knowledge related to the important topic of vaccination starting at childhood.
Keywords: game; vaccination; field trial; school; primary prevention game; vaccination; field trial; school; primary prevention

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MDPI and ACS Style

La Torre, G.; D’Egidio, V.; Sestili, C.; Cocchiara, R.A.; Cianfanelli, S.; Di Bella, O.; Lia, L.; Dorelli, B.; Cammalleri, V.; Backhaus, I.; et al. ImmunizziAMO: A School-Based Field Trial to Teach New Generations the Importance of Vaccination through Games and to Fight Vaccine Hesitancy in Italy. Vaccines 2020, 8, 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8020280

AMA Style

La Torre G, D’Egidio V, Sestili C, Cocchiara RA, Cianfanelli S, Di Bella O, Lia L, Dorelli B, Cammalleri V, Backhaus I, et al. ImmunizziAMO: A School-Based Field Trial to Teach New Generations the Importance of Vaccination through Games and to Fight Vaccine Hesitancy in Italy. Vaccines. 2020; 8(2):280. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8020280

Chicago/Turabian Style

La Torre, Giuseppe, Valeria D’Egidio, Cristina Sestili, Rosario Andrea Cocchiara, Sara Cianfanelli, Ornella Di Bella, Lorenza Lia, Barbara Dorelli, Vittoria Cammalleri, Insa Backhaus, and et al. 2020. "ImmunizziAMO: A School-Based Field Trial to Teach New Generations the Importance of Vaccination through Games and to Fight Vaccine Hesitancy in Italy" Vaccines 8, no. 2: 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8020280

APA Style

La Torre, G., D’Egidio, V., Sestili, C., Cocchiara, R. A., Cianfanelli, S., Di Bella, O., Lia, L., Dorelli, B., Cammalleri, V., Backhaus, I., Pagano, F., Anguissola, C., Vitiello, A., Carsetti, R., Mannocci, A., & Giochiamo Collaborative Group. (2020). ImmunizziAMO: A School-Based Field Trial to Teach New Generations the Importance of Vaccination through Games and to Fight Vaccine Hesitancy in Italy. Vaccines, 8(2), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8020280

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