Science and knowledge translation strategies during public during health emergencies: A systematic review of RCTs

Effective science and knowledge translation is essential during public health emergencies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly evolving evidence was translated to the public under challenging conditions. This review aimed to identify randomised trials of COVID-19 science and knowledge translation strategies that targeted the public and evaluated psychological, behavioural and/or health outcomes. The review followed PRISMA guidelines to screen papers in 2023-24, using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and Behaviour Change Technique (BCT) taxonomy. Of 345 records screened, 48 eligible studies were included. Significant positive effects were reported in most studies; 30 out of 40 studies with psychological outcomes (e.g. knowledge) and 28 out of 40 studies with behavioural outcomes (e.g. intention to mask). The most frequent BCTs were information about health consequences (33 studies) and credible source (19 studies). Risk of bias was low in 42 studies. These findings highlight a diverse range of strategies that improved outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.