CoronavirusNCT04367363
Social Media and COVID-19
An observational study of Coronavirus and Depression, run by Jean Liu at 1 site in Singapore.
Trial summary
In this protocol, we seek to examine the role of popular messaging platform WhatsApp in information spread during a crisis. As there have been few global crises in the last decade (coinciding with the rise of social media), the role of private messaging platforms such as WhatsApp during crisis contexts remains… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Coronavirus, Depression, Anxiety
- What is being tested?
- Social media & news consumption
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- How many people
- 151 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSingapore
- Study dates
- 17 Mar 2020to 31 May 2020
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 21 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Representative sample of the Singapore population
Who may be able to join
- At least 21 years
- Has stayed in Singapore for at least 2 years
- Has a WhatsApp account that can be used for the research study
Who cannot join
- Below 21 years
- Has stayed in Singapore for less than 2 years
- Does not have a WhatsApp account that can be used for the research study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Tracking WhatsApp Behaviors During a Crisis: A Longitudinal Observation of Messaging Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this protocol, we seek to examine the role of popular messaging platform WhatsApp in information spread during a crisis. As there have been few global crises in the last decade (coinciding with the rise of social media), the role of private messaging platforms such as WhatsApp during crisis contexts remains understudied. During the current COVID-19 global health crisis, we undertook this study to: (1) characterize the nature of WhatsApp use during crises, (2) characterize the profiles of WhatsApp users (3) understand how WhatsApp usage links to well-being (fear and thoughts about COVID-19).
- Conditions
- Coronavirus, Depression, Anxiety, Stress
- Being tested
- Social media & news consumption
- Keywords
- Social Media, Misinformation, COVID-19
- Medical subject headings
- Coronavirus Infections, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Communication, COVID-19
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Social media & news consumptionBehavioural
Daily reports of social media use and consumption, including reports on receiving and disseminating news articles related to the COVID-19 situation (e.g., how many messaging groups shared news on the outbreak, how many items related to the outbreak they forwarded to others, etc).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Community sample | We plan to recruit a representative sample of the Singapore population. Receives: Behavioral: Social media & news consumption |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
WhatsApp usage
Participants were asked a series of questions daily related to their WhatsApp usage behaviors - in particular, their message-forwarding, personal chat and group chat behaviors.
Measured: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
Changes in fear with regards the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
1 item each day on fear specifically of the COVID-19 situation (measured on a 4 point scale: min = 1, max = 4; higher scores indicating greater fear about the outbreak).
Measured: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
Changes in amount of thinking about the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
1 item each day on how much they thought about the outbreak that day (measured on a 5 point scale: min = 1, max = 5; higher scores indicating more thinking about the outbreak).
Measured: 1 week, starting from date after initial survey completion
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Apr 2020
- Study start17 Mar 2020
- Primary completion7 May 2020
- Study completion31 May 2020
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for CoronavirusStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 151 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Jean Liu
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Jean Liu, Yale-NUS College
- Investigators
- Jean Liu, PhD, Principal investigator, Yale-NUS College
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04367363
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2020-CERC-001B
- Status last verified
- Dec 2020
- First submitted
- 17 Apr 2020
- Last updated
- 29 Dec 2020
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Due to stipulations by the Institutional Review Board, data cannot be shared.
Publications
Tan EY, Wee RR, Saw YE, Heng KJ, Chin JW, Tong EM, Liu JC. Tracking Private WhatsApp Discourse About COVID-19 in Singapore: Longitudinal Infodemiology Study. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Dec 23;23(12):e34218. doi: 10.2196/34218.
PubMed 34881720
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Dec 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Tracking WhatsApp Behaviors During a Crisis: A Longitudinal Observation of Messaging Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04367363
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2020-CERC-001B
- Conditions
- Coronavirus, Depression, Anxiety, Stress
- Keywords
- Social Media, Misinformation, COVID-19
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 151 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Jean LiuUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 17 Mar 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 7 May 2020 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 May 2020 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Apr 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
In this protocol, we seek to examine the role of popular messaging platform WhatsApp in information spread during a crisis. As there have been few global crises in the last decade (coinciding with the rise of social media), the role of private messaging platforms such as WhatsApp during crisis contexts remains understudied. During the current COVID-19 global health crisis, we undertook this study to: (1) characterize the nature of WhatsApp use during crises, (2) characterize the profiles of WhatsApp users (3) understand how WhatsApp usage links to well-being (fear and thoughts about COVID-19).
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Community sample | – | Behavioral: Social media & news consumptionWe plan to recruit a representative sample of the Singapore population. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Representative sample of the Singapore population
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- At least 21 years
- Has stayed in Singapore for at least 2 years
- Has a WhatsApp account that can be used for the research study
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Below 21 years
- Has stayed in Singapore for less than 2 years
- Does not have a WhatsApp account that can be used for the research study
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Social media & news consumptionDaily reports of social media use and consumption, including reports on receiving and disseminating news articles related to the COVID-19 situation (e.g., how many messaging groups shared news on the outbreak, how many items related to the outbreak they forwarded to others, etc). | Behavioural | Community sample |
Primary outcome
WhatsApp usage
Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
Participants were asked a series of questions daily related to their WhatsApp usage behaviors - in particular, their message-forwarding, personal chat and group chat behaviors.
Changes in fear with regards the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
1 item each day on fear specifically of the COVID-19 situation (measured on a 4 point scale: min = 1, max = 4; higher scores indicating greater fear about the outbreak).
Changes in amount of thinking about the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after initial survey completion
1 item each day on how much they thought about the outbreak that day (measured on a 5 point scale: min = 1, max = 5; higher scores indicating more thinking about the outbreak).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Dec 2020.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 34881720Tan EY, Wee RR, Saw YE, Heng KJ, Chin JW, Tong EM, Liu JC. Tracking Private WhatsApp Discourse About COVID-19 in Singapore: Longitudinal Infodemiology Study. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Dec 23;23(12):e34218. doi: 10.2196/34218.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Due to stipulations by the Institutional Review Board, data cannot be shared.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jean Liu, PhD principal investigator
Yale-NUS College
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Coronavirus and Depression, run by Jean Liu at 1 site in Singapore.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Dec 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Singapore. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
WhatsApp usage (time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04367363, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Dec 2020.