Study: Willingness of Canadians to use a contact tracing application
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Released: 2020-07-31
Physical distancing measures have eased but COVID-19 continues to spread in many parts of Canada. Public health authorities and governments are therefore weighing additional measures to keep the pandemic in check.
One possible measure is a contact tracing application to complement the current manual contact tracing efforts by health authorities. Most of these apps use smartphone Bluetooth technology to alert smartphone users of potential exposure, suggest where you can get tested and how to self-isolate, if required.
A new study titled "Willingness of Canadians to use a contact tracing application," based on a recent web panel survey, suggests that over one-half of Canadians (56%) would be "somewhat" or "very likely" to use a contact tracing app if recommended by public health authorities, while just over one-fifth would be "very unlikely" to do so.
Older Canadians more likely to use the app than young Canadians
Age is an important factor in the likelihood of using such an app. For example, one-third of Canadians aged 65 and older (33%) said they would be "very likely" to use a contract tracing app, twice the rate of those aged 15 to 24 (16%).
Just under one-quarter of adults aged 25 to 64 said they would be "very likely" to use the app, but in this age group, another quarter said that they would be "very unlikely" to do so.
Where you live was also an important consideration. Almost one-third of those living in Canada's three largest census metropolitan areas said they were "very likely" to use the app, while just over one-fifth of those living in other cities or rural areas were "very likely" to do so.
Immigrants (36%) were significantly more likely than the Canadian-born (21%) to be "very likely" to use a contact tracing app. This is consistent with another recent article titled "Resuming economic and social activities during COVID-19" that found that immigrants are more likely than the Canadian-born to continue to take precautions as COVID-19 safety measures are relaxed—such as wearing masks, avoiding crowds and large gatherings, and keeping their distance from others.
Concerns about privacy and government access to location data are the leading reasons against using a contact tracing app
There are several reasons why Canadians may not consider using a contact tracing app. The most frequently-cited reason among those "somewhat unlikely" or "very unlikely" to install a contact tracing app was that they felt it was an invasion of privacy (64%), followed by concerns that the government would have access to their location data (44%).
Potential contact tracing app users may also have concerns about how their personal data are used. To evaluate these potential concerns, those who reported that they were "somewhat" or "very likely" to use a contact tracing app were asked if they were comfortable with sharing their data with the government. Two-thirds (66%) were comfortable with sharing their data, about one-fifth (21%) were uncertain and 13% were uncomfortable with the idea. Men (18%) were twice as likely as women (9%) to be uncomfortable about sharing personal data with the government.
Note to readers
Contact tracing is the process of getting in touch with everyone who may have been exposed to the virus and making sure they are taking measures to control its spread. This is done so these individuals can be informed of their possible infection and take measures to quarantine and be monitored for symptoms. This helps to ensure they receive the necessary care and treatment and helps prevent further transmission. Contact tracing is led by the provinces and territories.
To support contact tracing efforts, the federal government is providing assistance in a number of ways. Statistics Canada is currently supporting Ontario by providing the assistance of the agency's interviewers to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, through contact tracing. Throughout the pandemic, Statistics Canada has been working closely with our partners, providing data and expertise that is helping to inform policy and recovery efforts. For more information on the type of support provided by Statistics Canada in this area, please consult the Transparency and accountability section of our website on contact tracing.
This release uses data from the Canadian Perspective Survey Series (CPSS), a new probabilistic panel survey that included questions on the level of support for a potential contact tracing app. The CPSS is representative of the general population in the provinces, and has been conducted on a regular basis since March to evaluate how Canadians are impacted by the pandemic. The latest iteration of the survey was conducted from June 15 to June 21.
Products
The study "Willingness of Canadians to use a contact tracing application" is now available as part of the series StatCan COVID-19: Data to Insights for a Better Canada (45280001).
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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