COVID-19 Health Messaging Efficacy and Its Impact on Public Perception, Anxiety, and Behavior

NCT04377581 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00014798
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 18,251
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Effective communication is a critical component of managing pandemic outbreaks like COVID-19. This study explores COVID-19 related public knowledge, perceptions, belief in public health recommendations, intent to comply with public health recommendations, trust in information sources and preferred information sources. Participants are invited to include detailed free-text answers to make sure their COVID-19 experiences are heard.

Conditions

Public Health; Demography; Pandemics; Corona Virus Infection; News; Global Health; Perception

Keywords

Penn State; CHIME; COVID-19 Messaging Study

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Knowledge and Confidence in Knowledge of COVID-19

  Binary knowledge measures (true/false questions pertaining to COVID-19) each have a corresponding 5-point confidence score, the inverse of which generates a weighting variable. Weighted knowledge scores will be analyzed via a generalized linear mixed-methods effects model with a logistic link function and a random effect for the participant, generating a probability of correct response from 0 to 1.0.

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• Beliefs about the effectiveness of public health recommendations

  Participants are asked, "Do you think that following these CDC recommendations will decrease the spread of COVID-19 in your community?" and select from a 5-point scale, Minimum: 1=certainly not; Maximum: 5 = most certainly.

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• Intent to comply with public health recommendations

  Participants are asked, "Will you follow these recommendations?" and select from a 5-point scale, Minimum: 1=certainly not; Maximum: 5 = most certainly.

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• Perception of Risk of COVID-19 and other health threats

  Participants are asked, "How likely is it that you will be diagnosed with any of the following diseases over the next year?" and rate their perceived likelihood of diagnosis for Measles, Flu, Lung Cancer, Ebola and COVID-19 on a 5 point scale. Minimum: 1, very unlikely; Maximum: 5, very likely. Participants are asked, "How serious do you think infection with any of the following diseases would be (or is) to your own personal health?" and rate their perceived seriousness of diagnosis for Measles, Flu, Lung Cancer, Ebola and COVID-19 on a 5 point scale. Minimum: 1, Not at all Serious; Maximum: 5, Very Serious

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• Perceptions of trust in common health information sources

  Participants are asked the extent to which they trust common information sources: The World Health Organization, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Commission, the participant's national government, the participant's local government, and the participant's personal healthcare provider. Participants rate on a 5 point scale. Minimum: 1, Not at all; Maximum: 2, Completely. (As these sources are not recognized in all places, participants may select "Not Applicable" in lieu of ranking.

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• Single most trusted news source

  Participants are asked to identify their single most trusted source of news through selection from a pre-generated list or via free-text.

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Intention to change consumption of news because of COVID-19 (yes/no)

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• For participants who will change their news consumption, in what way will they change?

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• Secondary information sources

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

• Concerns about COVID-19

  Through study completion, an average of 3 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Human Adults

You may qualify if:

• years of age

You may not qualify if:

• Below 18 years of age

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: lead
• The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences: collaborator
• The Social Science Research Institute: collaborator
• The Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine: collaborator
• The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Penn State College of Medicine

Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Coronavirus Infections

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections

Study Officials

• Robert P Lennon, MD, JD

  Penn State College of Medicine

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: ECOLOGIC OR COMMUNITY
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2020
• First Posted: May 6, 2020
• Study Start: April 9, 2020
• Primary Completion: July 10, 2020
• Study Completion: July 10, 2020
• Last Updated: July 16, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-07

Locations

US (1)