Informational videos starring physicians modestly improved coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) knowledge among US Black and Latino adults regardless of the clinician’s race, according to a trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study’s 14 267 participants viewed 3 COVID-19 videos featuring 3 physicians. The videos covered basics about the virus and the importance of social distancing, hygiene, and face masks. The intervention group viewed the videos and then answered questions about them; the control group answered questions first.
Eighty percent of the intervention group answered all the questions correctly compared with 72.7% of the control group. Being assigned to a race-concordant physician did not affect knowledge retention. Acknowledging racism, deportation fears, or economic equality also did not affect knowledge gaps or information-seeking behavior. However, Black participants assigned to a video with a race-concordant physician were more likely to request more information about COVID-19.