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Pre-booked vaccination appointments as a nudge: Evidence from a nationwide intervention

Author

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  • Moeller, Jakob
  • Halla, Martin
  • Thomas, Tobias

Abstract

We study the effect of pre-booked COVID-19 vaccination appointments using a na- tionwide campaign in Austria. Leveraging administrative microdata on more than 450,000 initially unvaccinated adults, we exploit cross-state variation in program participation and staggered appointment timing in a difference-in-differences de- sign. Pre-booked appointments increase vaccination on the appointment day by 0.8 percentage points (8 per 1,000), with no evidence of intertemporal substitution. Effects are larger for socio-economically disadvantaged individuals and substan- tially weaker in areas with stronger vaccine skepticism. The findings suggest that behavioral interventions are effective when low uptake reflects frictions, but have limited impact when driven by entrenched skepticism.

Suggested Citation

  • Moeller, Jakob & Halla, Martin & Thomas, Tobias, 2026. "Pre-booked vaccination appointments as a nudge: Evidence from a nationwide intervention," DICE Discussion Papers 436, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:dicedp:341426
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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