Samuel Altmann|Luke Milsom|Hannah Zillessen|Raffaele Blasone|Frederic Gerdon|Ruben L. Bach|Frauke Kreuter|Daniele Nosenzo|Séverine Toussaert|Johannes Abeler
Acceptability of App-Based Contact Tracing for COVID-19: Cross-Country Survey Study
University of Oxford|University of Oxford|University of Oxford|University of Oxford|University of Mannheim|University of Mannheim|University of Mannheim|University of Maryland, College Park|Institut für Arbeitsmarkt und Berufsforschung|Aarhus University|University of Nottingham|University of Oxford|University of Oxford
covid19 pandemic greatest public health crisis last 100 years countries responded various levels lockdown save lives stop health systems overwhelmed time lockdowns entail large socioeconomic costs one exit strategy consideration mobile phone app traces close contacts infected covid19 recent research demonstrated theoretical effectiveness solution different disease settings however concerns raised apps potential privacy implications could limit acceptability appbased contact tracing general population effectiveness approach increases strongly app uptake crucial understand public support interventionthe objective study investigate user acceptability contacttracing app five countries hit pandemicwe conducted largescale multicountry study n5995 measure public support digital contact tracing covid19 infections ran anonymous online surveys france germany italy united kingdom united states measured intentions use contacttracing app across different installation regimes voluntary installation vs automatic installation mobile phone providers studied intentions vary across individuals countrieswe found strong support app regimes countries across subgroups population irrespective regionallevel covid19 mortality rates investigated main factors may hinder facilitate uptake found concerns cybersecurity privacy together lack trust government main barriers adoptionepidemiological evidence shows appbased contact tracing suppress spread covid19 high enough proportion population uses app still reduce number infections uptake moderate findings show willingness install app high available evidence suggests appbased contact tracing may viable approach control diffusion covid19