Priority populations’ experiences of isolation, quarantine and distancing for COVID-19: protocol for a longitudinal cohort study (Optimise Study)

Abstract

IntroductionLongitudinal studies can provide timely and accurate information to evaluate and inform COVID-19 control and mitigation strategies and future pandemic preparedness. The Optimise Study is a multidisciplinary research platform established in the Australian state of Victoria in September 2020 to collect epidemiological, social, psychological and behavioural data from priority populations. It aims to understand changing public attitudes, behaviours and experiences of COVID-19 and inform epidemic modelling and support responsive government policy.Methods and analysisThis protocol paper describes the data collection procedures for the Optimise Study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort of ~1000 Victorian adults and their social networks. Participants are recruited using snowball sampling with a set of seeds and two waves of snowball recruitment. Seeds are purposively selected from priority groups, including recent COVID-19 cases and close contacts and people at heightened risk of infection and/or adverse outcomes of COVID-19 infection and/or public health measures. Participants complete a schedule of monthly quantitative surveys and daily diaries for up to 24 months, plus additional surveys annually for up to 48 months. Cohort participants are recruited for qualitative interviews at key time points to enable in-depth exploration of people’s lived experiences. Separately, community representatives are invited to participate in community engagement groups, which review and interpret research findings to inform policy and practice recommendations.Ethics and disseminationThe Optimise longitudinal cohort and qualitative interviews are approved by the Alfred Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (# 333/20). The Optimise Study CEG is approved by the La Trobe University Human Ethics Committee (# HEC20532). All participants provide informed verbal consent to enter the cohort, with additional consent provided prior to any of the sub studies. Study findings will be disseminated through public website (https://optimisecovid.com.au/study-findings/) and through peer-reviewed publications.Trial registration numberNCT05323799.

What Lies Beneath? The Role of Community Engagement in Translating COVID-19 Research Findings to Policy-Makers

“…8 Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. 9 Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. 10 Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.…”

“…Commencing in September 2020 and concluding in December 2022, the project was led by the Burnet and Doherty Institutes in Melbourne, Australia. 9 The Optimise Study established a Community Engagement Group (CEG), consisting of seven community members, to review the monthly findings of the study, and make recommendations to policy-makers to tailor public health messages to priority groups. Although standards of community engagement in research emphasize that community members should be involved from the earliest stage of the research process, the Optimise Study was designed rapidly, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, before the community engagement approach was decided.…”

“…Commencing in September 2020 and concluding in December 2022, the project was led by the Burnet and Doherty Institutes in Melbourne, Australia. 9 …”