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Covid-19 Messaging to Underserved Communities - 2nd Experiment

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Covid19
Registration Number
NCT04502056
Lead Sponsor
National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Brief Summary

The aim of the study is to build off results from our first experiment (NCT04371419) , and test whether messages that acknowledge racial injustice on behalf of institutions affect the retention of knowledge and movement of beliefs and behavior with respect to Covid-19. The investigators will also test the effect of concordance of providers and whether highlighting the unequal burden of the disease has additional effects on knowledge, beliefs and behavior regarding covid-19. The sample will include African American and white adult Americans and oversample those with less than a college degree.

Detailed Description

Recent data have shown that covid19 is disproportionately infecting and killing African Americans and Latinx people in the United States. Moreover, since our last experiment, the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota police has raised awareness of structural racism in the United States.

The aim of the study is to build off results from our first experiment (NCT04371419) , and test whether messages that acknowledge racial injustice on behalf of institutions affect the retention of knowledge and movement of beliefs and behavior with respect to Covid-19. The investigators will also test the effect of concordance of providers and whether highlighting the unequal burden of the disease has additional effects on knowledge, beliefs and behavior regarding covid-19.The sample will include African American and white adult Americans and oversample those with less than a college degree.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
20460
Inclusion Criteria
  • adults who self-identify as African American or white.
  • an oversample of individuals with less than a college education
Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Incidence Rate for Knowledge Gaps: Control vs. Any Intervention - Follow upThe outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention

Participants were asked to identify ways to prevent COVID-19 spread and identify four common symptoms. Incidence rate for knowledge gaps is the count of knowledge gaps divided by the maximum possible count: 10.

Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Knowledge Gap - Follow upThe outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention

Participants were asked to identify ways to prevent COVID-19 spread and identify four common symptoms. The incidence rate for knowledge gaps is the count of knowledge gaps divided by the maximum possible count: 10. The incidence rate ratio compares the incidence rate of participants in Arm A vs. Arm B within the intervention group (i.e. those who received covid-19-related videos), within in the control group (i.e. those who saw placebo videos), or across the intervention and control group. Arms A and B are described in each Arm/Group Title. The overall number of participants analyzed is all equal across 6 arms/groups because the outcome measure data presented below came from a single negative binomial regression.

Incidence Rate - Safety Gap Score: Control vs. Any InterventionThe outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention.

Participants were asked about how often they engaged in four behaviors of interest: if they wore a mask indoors/outdoors; if they washed their hands; if they followed social distancing guidelines. The safety gap index takes values of 0 (if a participant reported that they always practiced the four behaviors of interest) up to 4 (none). Incidence rate for safety gaps is the count of safety gaps divided by the maximum possible count: 4.

Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Information-seeking BehaviorThe outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.

Participants were offered the option of requesting additional information on COVID-19 related resources by clicking on up to 5 links that included more content. We measured "information seeking behavior" as the number of links for which participants expressed interest, a count variable between 0 (lowest information seeking behavior) and 5 (greatest information seeking behavior). Incidence rate for interest in links is the count of links demanded divided by the maximum possible count: 5. The incidence rate ratio compares the incidence rate of participants in Arm A vs. Arm B within the intervention group (i.e. those who received covid-19-related videos), within in the control group (i.e. those who saw placebo videos), or across the intervention and control group. Arms A and B are described in each Arm/Group Title. The overall number of participants analyzed is all equal across 6 arms/groups because the outcome measure data presented below came from a single negative binomial regression.

Incidence Rate for Knowledge Gaps: Control vs. Any InterventionThe outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.

Participants were asked to identify ways to prevent COVID-19 spread and identify four common symptoms. The incidence rate for knowledge gaps is the count of knowledge gaps divided by the maximum possible count: 10.

Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Safety Gap ScoreThe outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention.

Participants were asked about how often they engaged in four behaviors of interest: if they wore a mask indoors/outdoors; if they washed their hands; if they followed social distancing guidelines. The safety gap index takes values of 0 (if a participant reported that they always practiced the four behaviors of interest) up to 4 (none). Incidence rate for safety gaps is the count of safety gaps divided by the maximum possible count: 4. The incidence rate ratio compares the incidence rate of participants in Arm A vs. Arm B within the intervention group (i.e. those who received covid-19-related videos), within in the control group (i.e. those who saw placebo videos), or across the intervention and control group. Arms A and B are described in each Arm/Group Title. The overall number of participants analyzed is all equal across 6 arms/groups because the outcome measure data presented below came from a single negative binomial regression.

Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Masks: Control vs. Any InterventionThe outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.

WTP: the participants will be asked to choose between two masks vs an unrestricted gift card. They will be asked what amount of gift card would make them just as happy to receive two mask versus the gift card.

Incidence Rate for Information-seeking Behavior: Control vs. Any InterventionThe outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.

Participants were offered the option of requesting additional information on COVID-19 related resources by clicking on up to five links that included more content. We measured "information seeking behavior" as the number of links for which participants expressed interest, a count variable between 0 (lowest information seeking behavior) and 5 (greatest information seeking behavior). Incidence rate for interest in links is the count of links demanded divided by the maximum possible count: 5.

Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Knowledge GapThe outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.

Participants were asked to identify ways to prevent COVID-19 spread and identify four common symptoms. The incidence rate for knowledge gaps is the count of knowledge gaps divided by the maximum possible count: 10. The incidence rate ratio compares the incidence rate of participants in Arm A vs. Arm B within the intervention group (i.e. those who received covid-19-related videos), within in the control group (i.e. those who saw placebo videos), or across the intervention and control group. Arms A and B are described in each Arm/Group Title. The overall number of participants analyzed is all equal across 6 arms/groups because the outcome measure data presented below came from a single negative binomial regression.

OLS Regression Coefficients - Willingness to Pay (WTP) for MasksThe outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.

WTP: the participants will be asked to choose between two masks vs an unrestricted gift card. They will be asked what amount of gift card would make them just as happy to receive two mask versus the gift card. The regression coefficients compares the incidence rate of participants in Arm A vs. Arm B within the intervention group (i.e. those who received covid-19-related videos), within in the control group (i.e. those who saw placebo videos), or across the intervention and control group. Arms A and B are described in each Arm/Group Title. The overall number of participants analyzed is all equal across 6 arms/groups because the outcome measure data presented below came from a single ordinary least squares (OLS) regression for WTP masks).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

JPAL North America

🇺🇸

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

JPAL North America
🇺🇸Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

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