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.
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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20,460
Investigators will examine whether acknowledgements of racial inequality are helpful towards improving knowledge retention and behaviors associated with the intervention among participants. In this arm, participants will receive a AMA statement on racial injustice.
Investigators will also vary the messenger of the acknowledgement sender. In this arm participants receive a African American sender in acknowledgment of AMA
Investigators will vary the sender of the informational covid-19 videos. In this arm, participants receive a African American sender in informational videos.
JPAL North America
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Incidence Rate for Knowledge Gaps: Control vs. Any 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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.
Incidence Rate for Knowledge Gaps: Control vs. Any Intervention - Follow up
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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention
Incidence Rate for Information-seeking Behavior: Control vs. Any Intervention
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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.
Incidence Rate - Safety Gap Score: Control vs. Any 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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention.
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Investigators will include information on race-specific covid-19 cases and deaths in one variation in the messaging. In this arm, participants receive disproportionate race-specific Covid-19 facts
Investigators will examine whether acknowledgements of racial inequality are helpful towards improving knowledge retention and behaviors associated with the intervention among participants. In this arm, participants receive AMA information on drug pricing
Investigators will also vary the messenger of the acknowledgement sender. In this arm, participants receive a white sender in the acknowledgement
Investigators will vary the messenger of the informational covid-19 videos. In this arm, participants receive white sender in the informational video
In this arm, the disproportionate burden of Covid-19 on communities of color will not be highlighted
Videos not related to covid-19 will be shown
Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Masks: Control vs. Any Intervention
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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.
Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Knowledge Gap
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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.
Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Knowledge Gap - Follow up
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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention
Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Information-seeking Behavior
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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.
Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) - Safety Gap Score
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.
Time frame: The outcome was measured at a follow-up within 2 weeks following the intervention.
OLS Regression Coefficients - Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Masks
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).
Time frame: The outcome was measured immediately following the intervention in the baseline survey.