Reminder design and childhood vaccination coverage

A major policy concern across public vaccination programs is non-compliance. Exploiting Danish population data and three national reforms in regression discontinuity designs, we document the effects of reminders for childhood vaccination coverage. Retrospective reminders are primarily effective for families with small children and when sent out close to the recommended vaccination age. Digital and postal reminders are equally effective. Prospective reminders increase timely vaccinations in later childhood and help reaching high coverage for new vaccines in increasingly complex vaccination programs. While reminders prompt additional preventive care for focal children, we find no spillovers to other health behaviors or relatives.

Automated summary

The use of reminders in public vaccination programs can effectively increase childhood vaccination coverage, especially when sent close to the recommended vaccination age. Both digital and postal reminders have equal impact on vaccination rates. Prospective reminders can improve timely vaccinations in later childhood and help achieve high coverage for new vaccines in complex vaccination programs. Reminders prompt additional preventive care for the focal children, but have no spillover effects on other health behaviors or relatives.