Nondrug interventions for reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission are frequently incompletely reported

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the completeness of reporting of behavioral, environmental, social and system interventions (BESSI) for reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 evaluated in randomized trials, to obtain missing intervention details and to document the interventions assessed.

Study design and setting: We assessed completeness of reporting in randomized trials of BESSI using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist. Investigators were contacted to provide missing intervention details and if provided, intervention descriptions were reassessed and documented according to the TIDieR items.

Results: Forty-five trials (planned or complete) describing 21 educational interventions, 15 protective measures, and nine social distancing interventions were included. In 30 trials with a protocol or study report, 30% (9/30) of interventions were completely described; this increased to 53% (16/30) after contacting 24 trial investigators (11 responded). Across all interventions, intervention provider training (35%) was the most frequently incompletely described checklist item, followed by the 'when and how much' intervention item.

Conclusion: Incomplete reporting of BESSI is a substantial problem with essential information necessary for implementation of interventions and for building on existing knowledge frequently missing and unable to be obtained. Such reporting is an avoidable source of research waste.

Keywords: COVID-19; Reporting; Reproducibility; Research transparency; SARS-CoV-2; Trials.