Using community influencer groups to address COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine hesitancy in Uganda: a protocol for a prospective quasi-experimental study

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dc.contributor.authorNambi Ssanyu, Jacquellyn
dc.contributor.authorKiguba, Ronald
dc.contributor.authorOlum, Ronald
dc.contributor.authorKiguli, Juliet
dc.contributor.authorKitutu, Freddy Eric
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-24T12:02:10Z
dc.date.available2023-01-24T12:02:10Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractCoronovirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) misinformation has been reported globally and locally. This has the potential to influence public risk perception and reduce the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. This study aims to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine hesitancy in Buikwe district. The study will also pilot a social mobilisation intervention using community influencers and determine its effect on COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. Methods and analysis The study will be conducted using a quasi-experimental study design, in which two villages will be assigned to the intervention arm and two villages assigned controls. A mixed-methods technique employing both quantitative and qualitative methods will be employed. Data will be collected from healthy men and women aged 18 years and older who reside in the selected villages. The study will be implemented in three phases. First, a baseline study of 12 in-depth interviews with key informants and 6 focus group discussions and a household survey among 632 participants will be done. Second, an intervention employing dialogue-based social mobilisation approach using 10-man community groups per village will be developed and implemented. These will be trained and facilitated to educate and sensitise their communities about COVID-19. Third, an end-line household survey done after 6-months of intervention implementation in the four villages to assess the effect of the intervention on COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. Post-intervention qualitative evaluation will be done after the endline quantitative assessment. Preliminary analysis of the endline quantitative analysis will inform any revisions of the discussion guides. Qualitative data collected will be analysed using thematic content analysis while quantitative data will be analysed using χ2 tests or logistic regression, by intention-to- treat analysis. Ethics and dissemination The study was reviewed for ethics and approved by the Makerere University School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, reference number MakSHSREC-2020- 45 and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology, reference number HS1140ES. Study finding shall be presented to the district and national COVID-19 task force and at scientific gatherings and published in a peer-reviewed journal.en_US
dc.identifier.citationSsanyu JN, Kiguba R, Olum R, et al. Using community influencer groups to address COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine hesitancy in Uganda: a protocol for a prospective quasi-experimental study. BMJ Open 2022;12:e057994. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2021-057994en_US
dc.identifier.other10.1136/ bmjopen-2021-057994
dc.identifier.urihttps://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/7156
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherBMJ openen_US
dc.subjectCommunity influencer groupsen_US
dc.subjectCOVID-19en_US
dc.subjectMisinformationen_US
dc.subjectVaccine hesitancyen_US
dc.subjectQuasi-experimental studyen_US
dc.titleUsing community influencer groups to address COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine hesitancy in Uganda: a protocol for a prospective quasi-experimental studyen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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