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NCT Number: NCT04529421

Assocation Between In-person Instruction and COVID-19 Risk

Whether university teaching on campus with infection control measures in place is associated with higher risk of COVID-19 than online instruction, is unknown. The investigators will assess this by conducting repeated surveys among students at universities and university colleges in Norway, where some instruction is given in-person, and some is provided online (hybrid model). The investigators will ask about the students' COVID-19 status, and how much in-person and online instruction the students are getting. The investigators will estimate the association between in-person instruction and COVID-19-risk using multivariate regression, controlling for likely confounders. The investigators will also assess whether type of instruction is associated with how satisfied the students are with the instruction the students are offered, their quality of life, and learning outcomes.

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Key information

Conditions

Infection COVID-19 Coronaviridae Infections Coronavirus Infections Infection Control Infections Lung Diseases Nidovirales Infections Pneumonia Pneumonia, Viral RNA Virus Infections Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Infections Virus Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Oslo Metropolitan University

Oslo, 0130, Norway

About this study

The investigators are inviting all universities and university colleges in Norway to take part. All students at institutions that agree to participate will receive an SMS (alternatively an e-mail) inviting them to take part in the study. The invitation includes a link that directs participants to a web-based informed consent-form and questionnaire. The investigators will use the University of Oslo's solutions for online consent form, web-based survey (Nettskjema), and secure storage of research data (TSD).

The investigators will ask the participants if the participants have been tested for COVID-19, the results of such a test, how much in-person instruction the students have been offered, and how much online instruction the students have been offered. The investigators will also inquire about other risk factors for COVID-19 and background variables that may be included as potential adjustment factors (confounders) in the analyses (see Attachment 1 - Questionnaire).

The investigators will survey the students every two weeks by new invitations by SMS or e-mail. The study period will last as long as the universities maintain their arrangement with in-person instruction for only select groups of students. The investigators plan for a study period that lasts for the remainder of 2020. The investigators will ask for the participants consent to link the survey results to information on study programme, basis for admission, study status, academic results, sex and age from the Common Student System.

The investigators will run multivariate regressions to test whether there is an association between in-person instruction and the outcomes.

In-person instruction is a continuous variable, defined as

(Number of days offered in-person instruction) / (Number of days offered in-person instruction + Number of days offered online instruction)

The investigators will control for potentially confounding variables, including year of study program, field of study, age, and gender. The investigators plan for separate analyses for each participating university/university college, and a pooled analysis across institutions.

Who can participate

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Student in first, second, or third year at university or university college
  • Agrees to participate (signed consent form)

Exclusion criteria

-

Treatment and study plan

Online instruction

Behavioral

For some courses and groups of students, instruction is primarily offered digitally, so that the students can participate from outside campus.

In-person instruction

Behavioral

For some courses and groups of students, instruction is primarily offered in-person, on campus (or elsewhere).

Primary outcomes

  1. COVID-19 incidence

    Time frame: Through study completion, i.e. 4 months.

    Self-reported positive test results

Secondary outcomes

  1. Quality of life

    Time frame: Through study completion, i.e. 4 months.

    Self-reported ("Overall, how satisfied are you with life right now?")

  2. Satisfaction with teaching

    Time frame: Through study completion, i.e. 4 months.

    Self-reported ("Overall, how satisfied have you been with the teaching you have received in the past 14 days?")

  3. COVID-19 testing incidence

    Time frame: Through study completion, i.e. 4 months.

    Self-reported

  4. Learning outcome

    Time frame: End of term, December 2020.

    Exam results from Common Student System

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Oslo Metropolitan University

Other

Collaborators

  • Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Registry information

Official study title

Relationship Between In-person Instruction and COVID-19 Incidence Among University Students: A Prospective Cohort Study

Acronym: Campus&Corona

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2021
First posted
Aug 27, 2020
Registry last updated
Nov 13, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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