Young Adult Compliance with Covid19 Mitigation Policies in Bogotá, Colombia

Last registered on May 21, 2020

View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title

Young Adult Compliance with Covid19 Mitigation Policies in Bogotá, Colombia

RCT ID

AEARCTR-0005876

Initial registration date

May 20, 2020

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published

May 21, 2020, 1:32 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country

Colombia

Region

Bogotá

Primary Investigator

Name

Allen Blackman

Affiliation

Inter-American Development Bank

Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name

Bridget Hoffmann

PI Affiliation

Inter-American Development Bank

Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status

In development

Start date

2020-05-21

End date

2020-07-10

Keywords

Health

Additional Keywords

coronavirus, covid-19, compliance, behavioral economics

JEL code(s)

I1, D9

Secondary IDs

Abstract

The effectiveness of Covid19 mitigation measures such as handwashing and social distancing depends critically on compliance by young adults. The reason is that young adults are far less likely than older adults to suffer severe complications from infection but are far more likely to be infected, i.e., to be carriers. In Latin America, this incentive problem is magnified by the fact that young adults comprise a larger share of the population than in industrialized countries. This randomized controlled trial examines young adult compliance in Bogotá, Colombia. We test whether providing information on Covid19, and the framing of that information, affects young adults’ compliance with and attitudes towards mitigation recommendations and mandates. As for framing, we test the effects of messages that emphasize the public benefits of compliance (protect the community), the private benefits (protect yourself), and both types of benefits.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation

Blackman, Allen and Bridget Hoffmann. 2020. "Young Adult Compliance with Covid19 Mitigation Policies in Bogotá, Colombia." AEA RCT Registry. May 21. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.5876-1.0

Sponsors & Partners

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)

Intervention Start Date

2020-05-21

Intervention End Date

2020-06-12

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

Compliance with Covid19 mitigation policies,
Attitudes towards Covid19 mitigation policies

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Our sample will be comprised of students at universities in Bogotá, Colombia. We will randomly assign students in our sample to one of four groups. Those in control group A will receive a placebo informational treatment. Those in treatment group B will receive information emphasizing the private benefits of compliance. Those in treatment group C will receive information emphasizing the public benefits. And those in treatment group D will receive information referencing both the private and public benefits. We will conduct a baseline survey and an endline survey in remote on-line data collection sessions. Informational treatments will be delivered during the baseline data collection sessions and via email following the data collection sessions. After these informational treatments have been received, we will administer an endline survey.

Experimental Design Details

Randomization Method

Randomization done in office by a computer.

Randomization Unit

Experimental session

Was the treatment clustered?

Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters

40-80 experimental sessions, depending on session sizes, which in turn, depend on sign-up and show-up rates.

Sample size: planned number of observations

1600 university students

Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms

Group A (control -- placebo treatment): approximately 300
Group B (treatment -- framing emphases private benefits): approximately 433
Group B (treatment -- framing emphases public benefits): approximately 433
Group C (treatment -- framing emphases private and public benefits): approximately 433

Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)

Supporting Documents and Materials

IRB