Availability and Advice on Test Uptake During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Vignette Study.

National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)

Status: Completed

Conditions: COVID-19

Treatments: Behavioral: LFT available; Behavioral: Customised testing advice; Behavioral: Regular testing advice; Behavioral: No LFT available

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05215483

G&M-537

Details and patient eligibility

About

Lateral Flow Testing (LFT) use for COVID-19 related symptoms continues to rise, despite governmental advice to test at a test facility. In this study we investigate whether 1) adjusting the governmental testing advice will lead to a collective increase of people who test with COVID-19 symptoms and if this leads to a higher strategy sensitivity.

Full description

In an online randomised multi-factorial survey (vignette study) participants are randomised to assess four scenario's. Between subject testing advise is randomised (IV1; 2 levels) and the availability of LFT (IV2; 2 levels). Within subject we asked participants to assess their most likely behaviour on day 1 of symptoms and day 3 of unchanged symptoms (IV3; 2 levels). Corona-related symptoms are randomly presented (IV4; 4 levels) and new incidences of symptoms are presented in additional vignettes describing new months (IV5; 4 levels).

Subjects are asked to immerse themselves in the scenario's before answering what their most likely behaviour would be: a) go to a test facility b) use a LFT c) wait and see or 4) no test. Participants who didn't choose the test facility on day 1 were presented with the same vignette on day 3 with unchanged symptoms, and were asked their most likely behaviour again.

After assessing the scenario's, participants fill in a questionnaire assessing demographics, behavioural determinants related to test behaviour, vaccine status, current symptoms and previous experience with Corona and testing.

The primary outcomes is defined as the average strategy sensitivity over time and therefore the chance of detecting a Covid-infection. Average strategy sensitivity is calculated by converting the choice of testing behaviour into the corresponding sensitivity score (PCR =1, LFT day 1 = .8, LFT day 3 = .7, wait and see and no test = 0), averaged over four scenario's.

Our primary hypothesis is:

1. Adjusting the governmental testing advice will lead to a higher strategy sensitivity.

   In follow-up analysis we will explore the following hypothesis:

2. Availability of LFT at home will lead to a higher strategy sensitivity.

3. The type of corona related symptoms (mild or severe) are predictive of the type of test used.

4. When confronted with a new incidence of corona-related symptoms over time, strategy sensitivity will decline.

Enrollment: 3,270 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Participants were recruited from an online research panel representative for the Dutch population.

Inclusion Criteria:

• non

Exclusion Criteria:

• non

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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3,270 participants in 4 patient groups

Customised advice + LFT available at home

Experimental group

Description:

Respondents will see an altered testing advice in text and picture in which they are allowed to use LFT with corona related symptoms. Respondents will informed in writing that they don't currently have any LFT available at home.

Treatment:

Behavioral: LFT available

Behavioral: Customised testing advice

Customised advice + No LFT available at home

Experimental group

Description:

Respondents will see an altered testing advice in text and picture in which they are allowed to use LFT with corona related symptoms. Respondents will informed in writing that they don't currently have any LFT available at home.

Treatment:

Behavioral: No LFT available

Behavioral: Customised testing advice

Regular advice + LFT available at home

Experimental group

Description:

Respondents will see the regular testing advice in text and picture with the current governmental advice to visit a test facility with corona related symptoms. Respondents will informed in writing that they don't currently have any LFT available at home.

Treatment:

Behavioral: LFT available

Behavioral: Regular testing advice

Regular advice + No LFT available at home

Active Comparator group

Description:

Respondents will see the regular testing advice in text and picture with the current governmental advice to visit a test facility with corona related symptoms. Respondents will informed in writing that they don't currently have any LFT available at home.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Regular testing advice

Behavioral: No LFT available