INCENTIVES AND MOTIVATORS IN SCHOOL-BASED HEPATITIS-B VACCINATION PROGRAMS

During a school-based vaccination program, incentives and education we re offered to help motivate students to participate. Each student at a ll schools in the program received scholastic credit for returning a s igned form, material rewards for receiving each vaccine dose, and free attendance at a social event after completing the vaccine series. In two of four schools, classes received a reward if every student in the classroom returned a signed form within five days; in these schools, 91% and 98% of students returned signed forms within five days, compar ed to 82% and 85%, respectively in the two schools without this peer i ncentive. Approximately half the students receiving the peer incentive reported that it played a motivating role, whereas 60% cited wanting to be protected. Few students named individual rewards as motivators. Although peer incentives appeared effective in encouraging some studen ts to return parent consent or refusal forms, the desire to be protect ed may have been a stronger motivator.