Improving Adherence to COVID-19 Prevention Behaviours: Test of Persuasive Messages

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Primary Purpose

Status

Completed

Phase

Not Applicable

Locations

Canada

Study Type

Interventional

Intervention

Persuasive Appeal

About this trial

This is an interventional other trial for COVID-19

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - undefined (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesAccepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion Criteria: Adult Canadian residents Target quotas for province of residence, age, gender, and ethnicity were set to obtain a demographically representative sample based on the 2016 census data Exclusion Criteria: Province of residence, age, gender, and ethnicity once quotas are filled

Sites / Locations

Lucid Marketplace

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm 3

Arm 4

Arm 5

Arm 6

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Label

Control - Info only

Deontological

Empathy

Identifiable victim

Goal proximity

Reciprocity

Arm Description

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The virus spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with one another. You can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We can all do our part: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. These actions prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The virus spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with one another. You can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We can all do our part: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. We all need to do this, however difficult, because it is the right thing to do: it is our duty and responsibility to protect our families, friends, and fellow citizens.

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The sick, elderly, and immunocompromised need our help. We all have a choice. If we don't take the right actions, we risk the lives of others. But we can protect those most likely to be harmed. We can protect those who are vulnerable by taking simple steps: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Take action to protect those who are vulnerable!

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: A few weeks ago, Sam was a healthy 26-year-old with no medical complications. The he suddenly came down with a bad cough and a feeling like he could not breath. He tested positive for COVID-19, and is now hospitalized, receiving oxygen from a ventilator, and fighting for his life. This could be any of us. Reduce the risk to yourself and other: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If we take these actions, we can prevent more people from suffering the way Sam has.

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The recent development of safe and effective vaccines gives us great hope. We see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we are not quite there yet. Until a large proportion of the population is immunized, we must remain vigilant and double our efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. These actions prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are working around the clock, often risking their lives to care for patients with the coronavirus. Working long hours in highly infectious environments, many of them are falling ill. As our healthcare workers put their lives on the line, we can do our part: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Our brave healthcare workers have sacrificed to help others. We should take action too.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Change in intentions to engage in prevention behaviours

Index variables for intentions to engage in prevention behaviors (pre- and post-treatment) were created by averaging across six items (1. Limit my physical contact with others when possible, 2. Completely avoid any unnecessary physical contact with others [e.g., hugging or handshakes], 3. Avoid crowded indoor spaces, 4. Wear a mask when I leave the house, 5. Wash my hands as much as possible, and 6. Stay home when mildly sick) measured on 100-point sliding scales (0 = Strongly disagree, 50 = Neither agree nor disagree, 100 = Strongly agree).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Full Information

NCT ID

NCT05722106

First Posted

January 10, 2023

Last Updated

February 8, 2023

Sponsor

University of Calgary

1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number

NCT05722106

Brief Title

Improving Adherence to COVID-19 Prevention Behaviours: Test of Persuasive Messages

Official Title

Improving Adherence to COVID-19 Prevention Behaviours: Test of Persuasive Messages

Study Type

Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date

February 2023

Overall Recruitment Status

Completed

Study Start Date

March 3, 2021 (Actual)

Primary Completion Date

March 6, 2021 (Actual)

Study Completion Date

March 6, 2021 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title

Sponsor

Name of the Sponsor

University of Calgary

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product

No

Data Monitoring Committee

No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized online experiment was to test the effectiveness of using various persuasive appeals (deontological moral frame, empathy, identifiable victim, goal proximity, and reciprocity) at improving intentions to adhere to prevention behaviors. Participants indicated their intentions to follow public health guidelines, saw one of six flyers featuring a persuasive appeal or no appeal, then rated their intentions a second time. Known correlates of attitudes toward public health measures were also measured.

Detailed Description

Adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) for COVID-19, including physical distancing, masking, staying home while sick, and avoiding crowded indoor spaces remain critical for limiting the spread of COVID-19. This study tests the effectiveness of using various persuasive appeals (deontological moral frame, empathy, identifiable victim, goal proximity, and reciprocity) at improving intentions to adhere to prevention behaviors. A randomized online experiment using a representative sample of adult Canadian residents with respect to age, ethnicity, and province of residence was conducted between March 3-6, 2021. Participants indicated their intentions to follow public health guidelines, saw one of six flyers featuring a persuasive appeal or no appeal, then rated their intentions a second time. Known correlates of attitudes toward public health measures were also measured.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study

COVID-19

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose

Other

Study Phase

Not Applicable

Interventional Study Model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

None (Open Label)

Allocation

Randomized

Enrollment

3746 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title

Control - Info only

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Description

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The virus spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with one another. You can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We can all do our part: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. These actions prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Arm Title

Deontological

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Description

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The virus spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with one another. You can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We can all do our part: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. We all need to do this, however difficult, because it is the right thing to do: it is our duty and responsibility to protect our families, friends, and fellow citizens.

Arm Title

Empathy

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Description

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The sick, elderly, and immunocompromised need our help. We all have a choice. If we don't take the right actions, we risk the lives of others. But we can protect those most likely to be harmed. We can protect those who are vulnerable by taking simple steps: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Take action to protect those who are vulnerable!

Arm Title

Identifiable victim

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Description

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: A few weeks ago, Sam was a healthy 26-year-old with no medical complications. The he suddenly came down with a bad cough and a feeling like he could not breath. He tested positive for COVID-19, and is now hospitalized, receiving oxygen from a ventilator, and fighting for his life. This could be any of us. Reduce the risk to yourself and other: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If we take these actions, we can prevent more people from suffering the way Sam has.

Arm Title

Goal proximity

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Description

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: The recent development of safe and effective vaccines gives us great hope. We see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we are not quite there yet. Until a large proportion of the population is immunized, we must remain vigilant and double our efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. These actions prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Arm Title

Reciprocity

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Description

Participants read a flyer containing the following message: Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are working around the clock, often risking their lives to care for patients with the coronavirus. Working long hours in highly infectious environments, many of them are falling ill. As our healthcare workers put their lives on the line, we can do our part: Avoid social gatherings. Wear a mask when you go out. Stay at least six feet away from people outside your household. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Our brave healthcare workers have sacrificed to help others. We should take action too.

Intervention Type

Behavioral

Intervention Name(s)

Persuasive Appeal

Intervention Description

Persuasive appeals were manipulated using promotional flyers ostensibly distributed by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Primary Outcome Measure Information:

Title

Change in intentions to engage in prevention behaviours

Description

Index variables for intentions to engage in prevention behaviors (pre- and post-treatment) were created by averaging across six items (1. Limit my physical contact with others when possible, 2. Completely avoid any unnecessary physical contact with others [e.g., hugging or handshakes], 3. Avoid crowded indoor spaces, 4. Wear a mask when I leave the house, 5. Wash my hands as much as possible, and 6. Stay home when mildly sick) measured on 100-point sliding scales (0 = Strongly disagree, 50 = Neither agree nor disagree, 100 = Strongly agree).

Time Frame

Same day

10. Eligibility

Sex

All

Minimum Age & Unit of Time

18 Years

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: Adult Canadian residents Target quotas for province of residence, age, gender, and ethnicity were set to obtain a demographically representative sample based on the 2016 census data Exclusion Criteria: Province of residence, age, gender, and ethnicity once quotas are filled

Overall Study Officials:

First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree

Mehdi Mourali, PhD

Organizational Affiliation

University of Calgary

Official's Role

Principal Investigator

Facility Information:

Facility Name

Lucid Marketplace

City

Calgary

State/Province

Alberta

ZIP/Postal Code

T2N1N4

Country

Canada

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD

No

COVID-19

About this trial

Eligibility Criteria

Sites / Locations

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm 3

Arm 4

Arm 5

Arm 6

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

Full Information

1. Study Identification

2. Study Status

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

4. Oversight

5. Study Description

6. Conditions and Keywords

7. Study Design

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

10. Eligibility

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Learn more about this trial