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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05080179

Impact of Nudges on Downloads of COVID-19 Exposure Notification Smartphone Apps: A Randomized Trial

Eligible participants who were active beneficiaries of a large insurer living in Pennsylvania were sent an email encouraging them to download the contact tracing app in Pennsylvania, COVID Alert PA.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (Self-benefit vs. Other-Benefit) x 2 (Social Norms Present vs. Social Norms absent) design.

All participants received an email that said :

"COVID Alert PA is the official Exposure Notification App from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Join Penn Medicine in the fight against COVID-19 and download COVID Alert PA today!"

---Investigators manipulated the content here---

"The app uses Bluetooth to sense when one person is in close contact with another person with the app. If someone tests positive for COVID-19, and they decide to upload the information to the health department, people who have the app and who have been in contact with them will be alerted.

If you are interested in downloading the app, please click COVID Alert PA. We appreciate you joining our efforts. Together we can beat COVID-19!"

In the Other-Benefit condition, it said: "It can help you reduce your risk of unknowingly spreading the virus to your friends, family, and larger community."

In the Self-Benefit condition, it said: "It can help you determine where and when to get testing, and how to get care if you need it."

In the Social Norms Present condition, it said: "Over 650,000 Pennsylvanians have already downloaded the app!"

In the Social Norms Absent condition, it said the statement about social norms above.

Participants who do not open the initial email received a follow-up email.

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Key information

Conditions

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

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Independence Blue Cross (IBX)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19146, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Eligible participants were active beneficiaries of a large insurer living in Pennsylvania.

Exclusion criteria

  • Participants who did not subscribe to offers and promotions emails were excluded, as were Medigap beneficiaries.

Treatment and study plan

Self-Benefit/Social Norm

Behavioral

As part of their email, they will read, "It can help you determine where and when to get testing, and how to get care if you need it." and "Over 650,000 Pennsylvanians have already downloaded the app!"

Self-Benefit/No Social Norm

Behavioral

As part of their email, they will read, "It can help you determine where and when to get testing, and how to get care if you need it." They will not read any information about the number of Pennsylvanians who downloaded the app.

Other Benefit/Social Norm

Behavioral

As part of their email, they will read, "It can help you reduce your risk of unknowingly spreading the virus to your friends, family, and larger community." and "Over 650,000 Pennsylvanians have already downloaded the app!"

Other Benefit/No Social Norm

Behavioral

As part of their email, they will read, "It can help you reduce your risk of unknowingly spreading the virus to your friends, family, and larger community." They will not read any information about the number of Pennsylvanians who downloaded the app.

Primary outcomes

  1. Click on Link to Download COVID Alert PA App

    Time frame: 48 days

    The investigators measured choice to click on the link to download the COVID Alert PA app or not, conditional on opening the email. Because participants may not immediately open their e-mail, or may return to the e-mail to click the link, we allowed for a period of approximately 7 weeks or 48 days from date of initial e-mail for completion of outcome measure.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Pennsylvania

Other

Collaborators

  • Pennsylvania Department of Health

Registry information

Official study title

The Interactive Effect of Social Norm and Self (vs. Others) Benefit Nudges on Downloads of COVID-19 Exposure Notification Smartphone Apps: A Randomized Trial

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Oct 15, 2021
Registry last updated
Aug 28, 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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