Eliciting Perceived Norms About Substance Use

NCT04833972 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2013P000395_3
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,531
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Survey experiment to elicit perceived norms about substance use

Conditions

Tobacco Use; Alcohol Drinking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (16)

• Perception of Tobacco Use Frequency Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish smoked cigarettes four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Tobacco Use Frequency Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish smoked cigarettes four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol Use Frequency Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish taken alcohol four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol Use Frequency Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish taken alcohol four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol-Related Blackouts Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish been unable to remember what happened the night before at least once as a result of them taking alcohol in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

• Perception of Alcohol-Related Blackouts Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish been unable to remember what happened the night before at least once as a result of them taking alcohol in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

• Perception of Alcohol-Related Spousal Problems Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish quarreled after taking alcohol with their spouse or main partner if they have one in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

• Perception of Alcohol-Related Spousal Problems Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish quarreled after taking alcohol with their spouse or main partner if they have one in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

• Perception of Alcohol Intoxication Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish experienced drunkenness or intoxication on 3 or more days in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

• Perception of Alcohol Intoxication Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish experienced drunkenness or intoxication on 3 or more days in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

• Perception of Alcohol Use Financial Harms Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish had a harmful effect on their household's finances due to them taking alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol Use Financial Harms Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish had a harmful effect on their household's finances due to them taking alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol Spending Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish spent more than 35,000 USh on any kind of alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol Spending Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish spent more than 35,000 USh on any kind of alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol Binge Use Frequency Among Men

  "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish taken 6 or more drinks in a single morning, afternoon, or night in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

• Perception of Alcohol Binge Use Frequency Among Women

  "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish taken 6 or more drinks in a single morning, afternoon, or night in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

Study Arms (3)

Experimental: V1: Binary Response Options

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. Each question in this version of the survey questionnaire has binary (yes/no) response options.

Other: Survey questionnaire

Experimental: V2: Categorical Response Options

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. Each question in this version of the survey questionnaire has categorical response options: all or almost all; more than half, but fewer than 90%; fewer than half, but more than 10%; very few, or no one

Other: Survey questionnaire

Experimental: V3: Open-Ended Numerical Estimate

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. Each question in this version of the survey questionnaire permits the study participant to provide an open-ended numerical estimate.

Other: Survey questionnaire

Interventions

Survey questionnaire OTHER

Each version of the questionnaire has the same questions about perceived norms about substance use in the community but differs in how the response options are offered.

Experimental: V1: Binary Response Options; Experimental: V2: Categorical Response Options; Experimental: V3: Open-Ended Numerical Estimate

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• All adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent

You may not qualify if:

• Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
• Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g., persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside the parish
• Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Mbarara University of Science and Technology: collaborator
• Massachusetts General Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Mbarara, Uganda

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tobacco Use; Alcohol Drinking

Interventions

Surveys and Questionnaires

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior; Drinking Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• Alexander C Tsai, MD

  Massachusetts General Hospital

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Study participants are randomly assigned to be read survey questions with slight changes in the wording of the response options. Neither study participants nor outcomes assessors are provided with information about "treatment" assignment.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 1, 2021
• First Posted: April 6, 2021
• Study Start: February 10, 2021
• Primary Completion: August 15, 2022
• Study Completion: August 15, 2022
• Last Updated: June 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

UG (1)