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The rapid adaptation and optimisation of a digital behaviour change intervention to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools

The rapid adaptation and optimisation of a digital behaviour change intervention to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools
The rapid adaptation and optimisation of a digital behaviour change intervention to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools
The rapid transmission of COVID-19 in school communities has been a major concern. To ensure that mitigation systems were in place and support was available, a digital intervention to encourage and facilitate infection-control behaviours was rapidly adapted and optimised for implementation as a whole-school intervention. Using the person-based approach, ‘Germ Defence’ was iteratively adapted, guided by relevant literature, co-production with Patient and Public Involvement representatives, and think-aloud interviews with forty-five school students, staff, and parents. Suggested infection-control behaviours deemed feasible and acceptable by the majority of participants included handwashing/hand-sanitising and wearing a face covering in certain contexts, such as crowded public spaces. Promoting a sense of collective responsibility was reported to increase motivation for the adoption of these behaviours. However, acceptability and willingness to implement recommended behaviours seemed to be influenced by participants’ perceptions of risk. Barriers to the implementation of recommended behaviours in school and at home primarily related to childcare needs and physical space. We conclude that it was possible to rapidly adapt Germ Defence to provide an acceptable resource to help mitigate against infection transmission within and from school settings. Adapted content was considered acceptable, persuasive, and accessible.
Behaviour change, COVID-19, School, digital intervention
1660-4601
Treneman-Evans, Georgia
aa12c5e1-3674-453e-83a4-19d1f3d5a7ba
Ali, Becky
4be9a622-7f99-452e-a69c-7b15bdb505b2
Denison-Day, James
49c0d012-eadc-44eb-b06c-da7714be145a
clegg, tara
54d08622-d6ea-45b4-a257-692e09a9ff38
Yardley, Lucy
64be42c4-511d-484d-abaa-f8813452a22e
Denford, Sarah
8970b5a7-8cad-4356-ad0e-88297b67db37
Essery, Rosie
6bf53e81-577f-4a95-ba45-11aa64d1ee53
Treneman-Evans, Georgia
aa12c5e1-3674-453e-83a4-19d1f3d5a7ba
Ali, Becky
4be9a622-7f99-452e-a69c-7b15bdb505b2
Denison-Day, James
49c0d012-eadc-44eb-b06c-da7714be145a
clegg, tara
54d08622-d6ea-45b4-a257-692e09a9ff38
Yardley, Lucy
64be42c4-511d-484d-abaa-f8813452a22e
Denford, Sarah
8970b5a7-8cad-4356-ad0e-88297b67db37
Essery, Rosie
6bf53e81-577f-4a95-ba45-11aa64d1ee53

Treneman-Evans, Georgia, Ali, Becky, Denison-Day, James, clegg, tara, Yardley, Lucy, Denford, Sarah and Essery, Rosie (2022) The rapid adaptation and optimisation of a digital behaviour change intervention to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (11), [6731]. (doi:10.3390/ijerph19116731).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The rapid transmission of COVID-19 in school communities has been a major concern. To ensure that mitigation systems were in place and support was available, a digital intervention to encourage and facilitate infection-control behaviours was rapidly adapted and optimised for implementation as a whole-school intervention. Using the person-based approach, ‘Germ Defence’ was iteratively adapted, guided by relevant literature, co-production with Patient and Public Involvement representatives, and think-aloud interviews with forty-five school students, staff, and parents. Suggested infection-control behaviours deemed feasible and acceptable by the majority of participants included handwashing/hand-sanitising and wearing a face covering in certain contexts, such as crowded public spaces. Promoting a sense of collective responsibility was reported to increase motivation for the adoption of these behaviours. However, acceptability and willingness to implement recommended behaviours seemed to be influenced by participants’ perceptions of risk. Barriers to the implementation of recommended behaviours in school and at home primarily related to childcare needs and physical space. We conclude that it was possible to rapidly adapt Germ Defence to provide an acceptable resource to help mitigate against infection transmission within and from school settings. Adapted content was considered acceptable, persuasive, and accessible.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 28 May 2022
Published date: 30 May 2022
Keywords: Behaviour change, COVID-19, School, digital intervention

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 468041
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/468041
ISSN: 1660-4601
PURE UUID: da303a0e-0bdb-409c-a66e-f001de470989
ORCID for Lucy Yardley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-883X

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Date deposited: 28 Jul 2022 16:48
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:47

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Contributors

Author: Georgia Treneman-Evans
Author: Becky Ali
Author: tara clegg
Author: Lucy Yardley ORCID iD
Author: Sarah Denford
Author: Rosie Essery

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