Cash rewards for vaccination do not enhance COVID-19 immunization numbers

In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that the Ohio "Vax-a-Million" lottery-based incentive system did not increase COVID-19 vaccinations.

Led by Allan J. Walkey, MD, MSc, professor of medicine at BUSM and a physician at Boston Medical Center, the team compared vaccination rates before and after the Ohio lottery versus other states in the U.S. that did not yet have vaccine incentive lottery programs. The findings of the study, which can be found with the DOI 10.1001/jama.2021.11048, suggest that state-based lotteries are of limited value in increasing vaccine uptake.

Walkey and his team hope their findings will lead to a shift in focus away from ineffective and expensive lotteries, and on to further study of other programs that may more successfully increase vaccine uptake. Identifying interventions that can successfully increase COVID-19 vaccination rates is a critical public health issue necessary to curb the pandemic, the researchers believe.

The resources devoted to vaccine lotteries may be more successfully invested in programs that target underlying reasons for vaccine hesitancy and low vaccine uptake, according to the researchers. This includes addressing concerns about vaccine safety, efficacy, and the impact on personal freedom, as well as addressing disparities in access to vaccination resources.

Walkey was funded by NIH R01HL139751, NIH R01HL151607, NIH R01HL136660, and NIH OT2HL156812-01. Anica C. Law was funded by NIH K23HL 153482, and Nicholas A. Bosch was funded by NIH 1F32GM133061-01.

The study found that while the Ohio lottery may have temporarily boosted vaccination rates, these increases were not sustained over time. The researchers used vaccination rates in other states served as a "control" for vaccination trends measured in Ohio, allowing them to account for factors besides the Ohio lottery.

The organization that received funding to research the effectiveness of lotteries in increasing the COVID-19 vaccination rate is not explicitly mentioned in the search results provided. However, the study underscores the need for evidence-based approaches to increasing vaccination rates, rather than relying on lotteries that may not be effective in the long term.

In conclusion, the study by Walkey and his team at BUSM provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of lottery-based incentives in increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates. Their findings suggest that resources devoted to such programs may be more effectively invested in programs that address underlying reasons for vaccine hesitancy and low vaccine uptake.