MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit

Academic Institute

1137

Many governmental and healthcare organisations are in the development or deployment stages of COVID-19 track and trace projects. Many of these efforts will be carried out via a smartphone application (hereafter “app”) that individuals download and participate through. It is currently unclear which groups of people such app sampling inadvertently over- or under-represents as a result of differential uptake. If data are collected from track and trace efforts with the aim of NAME Matt Tudball EMAIL matt.tudball@bristol.ac.uk JOBTITLE PhD Student ORGANISATION University of Bristol Independent Peer Review Not required IF YOU HAVE TICKED 'NOT REQUIRED' PLEASE SPECIFY THE REASONS: Research Ethics Not required THE PROJECT USES WILL USE ONLY ANONYMISED DATA, AND THEREFORE RESEARCH ETHICS REVIEW IS NOT REQUIRED Yes 2 of 6 establishing common patterns of transmission, differential uptake and patterning of participation may hamper efforts to understand COVID-19. Findings arising from app sampling may not be generalisable to the broader population, and associations between risk factors that influence selection may be biased or even spurious. The COVID Symptom Study provides a valuable case study for modelling selection processes as it was promoted and developed during a similar period and with similar public health priorities. The COVID Symptom Study is a mobile app in which registered users can report their demographic characteristics, comorbidities, symptoms and whether they have been tested for COVID-19. These data have previously been used to generalise results to the general population. However, this is likely to be erroneous as people who choose to download the app and use it regularly are likely to differ systematically from the rest of the population. Additionally, app users who report receiving a COVID-19 test are likely to differ from the rest of the app users, and these differences are also likely to change over time, as availability and criteria for being tested change.

22/06/2020

Anonymous

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