The effects of quality of evidence communication on perception of public health information about COVID-19: Two randomised controlled trials.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The quality of evidence about the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical health interventions is often low, but little is known about the effects of communicating indications of evidence quality to the public.

Methods

In two blinded, randomised, controlled, online experiments, US participants (total n = 2140) were shown one of several versions of an infographic illustrating the effectiveness of eye protection in reducing COVID-19 transmission. Their trust in the information, understanding, feelings of effectiveness of eye protection, and the likelihood of them adopting it were measured.

Findings

Compared to those given no quality cues, participants who were told the quality of the evidence on eye protection was 'low', rated the evidence less trustworthy (p = .

SUBMITTER: Schneider CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8598038 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature