JMIR Formative Research (Jun 2022)

Design and Preliminary Findings of Adherence to the Self-Testing for Our Protection From COVID-19 (STOP COVID-19) Risk-Based Testing Protocol: Prospective Digital Study

  • Carly Herbert,
  • Vik Kheterpal,
  • Thejas Suvarna,
  • John Broach,
  • Juan Luis Marquez,
  • Ben Gerber,
  • Summer Schrader,
  • Christopher Nowak,
  • Emma Harman,
  • William Heetderks,
  • Nisha Fahey,
  • Elizabeth Orvek,
  • Peter Lazar,
  • Julia Ferranto,
  • Kamran Noorishirazi,
  • Shivakumar Valpady,
  • Qiming Shi,
  • Honghuang Lin,
  • Kathryn Marvel,
  • Laura Gibson,
  • Bruce Barton,
  • Stephenie Lemon,
  • Nathaniel Hafer,
  • David McManus,
  • Apurv Soni

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2196/38113
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 6
p. e38113

Abstract

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BackgroundSerial testing for SARS-CoV-2 is recommended to reduce spread of the virus; however, little is known about adherence to recommended testing schedules and reporting practices to health departments. ObjectiveThe Self-Testing for Our Protection from COVID-19 (STOP COVID-19) study aims to examine adherence to a risk-based COVID-19 testing strategy using rapid antigen tests and reporting of test results to health departments. MethodsSTOP COVID-19 is a 12-week digital study, facilitated using a smartphone app for testing assistance and reporting. We are recruiting 20,000 participants throughout the United States. Participants are stratified into high- and low-risk groups based on history of COVID-19 infection and vaccination status. High-risk participants are instructed to perform twice-weekly testing for COVID-19 using rapid antigen tests, while low-risk participants test only in the case of symptoms or exposure to COVID-19. All participants complete COVID-19 surveillance surveys, and rapid antigen results are recorded within the smartphone app. Primary outcomes include participant adherence to a risk-based serial testing protocol and percentage of rapid tests reported to health departments. ResultsAs of February 2022, 3496 participants have enrolled, including 1083 high-risk participants. Out of 13,730 tests completed, participants have reported 13,480 (98.18%, 95% CI 97.9%-98.4%) results to state public health departments with full personal identifying information or anonymously. Among 622 high-risk participants who finished the study period, 35.9% showed high adherence to the study testing protocol. Participants with high adherence reported a higher percentage of test results to the state health department with full identifying information than those in the moderate- or low-adherence groups (high: 71.7%, 95% CI 70.3%-73.1%; moderate: 68.3%, 95% CI 66.0%-70.5%; low: 63.1%, 59.5%-66.6%). ConclusionsPreliminary results from the STOP COVID-19 study provide important insights into rapid antigen test reporting and usage, and can thus inform the use of rapid testing interventions for COVID-19 surveillance.