Contagious Misinformation Trial

NCT ID: NCT04112680

Last Updated: 2020-01-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

750 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-10-07

Study Completion Date

2019-12-21

Brief Summary

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In the Contagious Misinformation Trial the investigators aim to debunk prevalent misinformation about an infectious disease using two evidence-based methods of debunking. The two debunking methods are packaged in two audio dramas of 4 episodes each, which will be sent to the WhatsApp of participants who are randomised to intervention group 1 or 2. The control group will receive audio messages about a different topic. The primary outcome is the reduction in belief in two misinformation statements about the infectious diseases.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Misinformation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Interventional study, with 3 arms (2 intervention groups, 1 control group) to test communication elements of audio dramas aiming to counter prevalent belief in misinformation about an infectious disease in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Investigators Outcome Assessors
Participant will not know the group they are assigned to, as all groups (also the control group) will receive audio messages.

The investigator and outcomes assessors will only be handed an anonymised data set.

Study Groups

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Intervention group 1

Audio messages in this group are focussed on providing a Plausible Alternative to the misinformation

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Debunking Misinformation through Audio Dramas

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The audio dramas (one drama of 4 episodes per intervention group), aim to debunk misinformation about an infectious disease. The content of the two dramas differ in the two groups; in intervention group 1, the drama will state the misinformation and provide a plausible alternative, delivered through a trusted source, in line with world views. In intervention group 2, the audio drama will avoid mentioning the misinformation and instead only state the correct information about the infectious disease

Intervention group 2

Audio messages in this group focus on Avoiding the Misinformation and instead only provide the correct information

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Debunking Misinformation through Audio Dramas

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The audio dramas (one drama of 4 episodes per intervention group), aim to debunk misinformation about an infectious disease. The content of the two dramas differ in the two groups; in intervention group 1, the drama will state the misinformation and provide a plausible alternative, delivered through a trusted source, in line with world views. In intervention group 2, the audio drama will avoid mentioning the misinformation and instead only state the correct information about the infectious disease

Control group

Audio messages in this control group are on a different topic

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Control group audio jingles

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The control group will receive audio jingles about exclusive breastfeeding

Interventions

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Debunking Misinformation through Audio Dramas

The audio dramas (one drama of 4 episodes per intervention group), aim to debunk misinformation about an infectious disease. The content of the two dramas differ in the two groups; in intervention group 1, the drama will state the misinformation and provide a plausible alternative, delivered through a trusted source, in line with world views. In intervention group 2, the audio drama will avoid mentioning the misinformation and instead only state the correct information about the infectious disease

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Control group audio jingles

The control group will receive audio jingles about exclusive breastfeeding

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Adults
* Living in Freetown
* In possession of a mobile phone that has WhatsApp
* Fluent in Krio

Exclusion Criteria

* Deafness
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Karolinska Institutet

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Helena Nordenstedt

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Helena Nordenstedt, MD PHD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Karolinska Institutet

Locations

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Focus1000

Freetown, Western Area, Sierra Leone

Site Status

Countries

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Sierra Leone

References

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Winters M, Oppenheim B, Sengeh P, Jalloh MB, Webber N, Pratt SA, Leigh B, Molsted-Alvesson H, Zeebari Z, Sundberg CJ, Jalloh MF, Nordenstedt H. Debunking highly prevalent health misinformation using audio dramas delivered by WhatsApp: evidence from a randomised controlled trial in Sierra Leone. BMJ Glob Health. 2021 Nov;6(11):e006954. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006954.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34758970 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Other Identifiers

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CMT2019

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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