Research Snapshot: Misinformation and Covid-19-related health measures in displacement settings

This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT), explored whether manipulating the source of public health information during the COVID-19 pandemic would shift the attitudes, knowledge and behaviour of refugees and internally displaced persons. While the research questions could not be answered, the study generated useful insights for researchers interested in similar questions.

Public health information is usually intended to influence people’s behaviour, but this outcome may depend on whether audiences perceive the source as trustworthy. Manipulating the source should therefore affect outcomes.

But, as this pilot study in Beni, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) demonstrated, doing this is not easy. Attribution of attitude or behaviour changes to the source manipulation was not possible. Learning and recommendations for how source-labelled information can be delivered more effectively in humanitarian settings were documented for the benefit of those who might conduct similar evaluations in future. Researchers or humanitarian programme staff could use learning from this study to test their Theory of Change prior to conducting a similar evaluation.

This snapshot contains key messages, findings, implications for humanitarian policymakers and practitioners and recommendations for further research.