Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK.
Research Institute in Healthcare Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK.
J Prim Care Community Health. 2021 Jan-Dec;12:21501327211047782. doi: 10.1177/21501327211047782.
The United Kingdom and a number of European Union countries are offering and distributing rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) for self-test use to detect SARS-CoV-2. For instance, Greece, in the midst of its third wave of COVID-19, announced the provision of RADTs for self-testing through retail pharmacies. With the aim to determine the acceptability and feasibility of COVID-19 self-testing, we ran a cross-sectional survey on residents of Greece and Cyprus, aged over 18 years.
An online survey using the JISC platform was distributed to 1000 individuals who completed the survey anonymously. Data was collated and analyzed for complete responses by chi-squared and logistic regression analyses.
A total of 248 complete responses were obtained, with balanced gender distribution and particular demographics representative of the 2 countries. The majority of participants (79%; n = 196) reported willingness to self-test and the remaining individuals reported no (10.5%; n = 26) or don't know (10.5%; n = 26). Being a university graduate significantly predicted the likelihood of being willing to self-test (odds ratio [OR] = 3.455, < .001). Pearson Chi-square test found significant differences between university graduates versus non-graduates on the type of COVID-19 test preferred (χ = 8.95, df = 3, < .03); graduates were more likely to prefer saliva testing and less likely to prefer the finger prick test than non-graduates.
Our survey data evidences the acceptability of home-based self-testing, with a preference for saliva as choice of biological material for sampling. A number of factors, such as accessible reporting, contact tracing infrastructures, central registration, and validation for the implementation of different RADTs need to be taken collectively into consideration before self-testing can be universally and reliably scaled up.
英国和一些欧盟国家正在提供和分发用于自我检测的快速抗原检测（RADT）以检测 SARS-CoV-2。例如，希腊正处于其第三波 COVID-19 疫情之中，宣布通过零售药店提供 RADT 供自我检测使用。为了确定 COVID-19 自我检测的可接受性和可行性，我们对希腊和塞浦路斯的 18 岁以上居民进行了一项横断面调查。
使用 JISC 平台进行在线调查，向 1000 名匿名完成调查的个人分发问卷。对完整回复进行了卡方检验和逻辑回归分析。
共获得 248 份完整回复，性别分布均衡，特定人口统计学特征代表了这两个国家。大多数参与者（79%；n=196）表示愿意进行自我检测，其余参与者表示不愿意（10.5%；n=26）或不知道（10.5%；n=26）。大学毕业者显著预测了愿意自我检测的可能性（优势比[OR] = 3.455， < .001）。Pearson 卡方检验发现，大学毕业生与非毕业生在首选 COVID-19 检测类型上存在显著差异（χ = 8.95，df = 3， < .03）；毕业生更倾向于选择唾液检测，而非毕业生更倾向于选择指尖采血检测。
我们的调查数据表明，家庭自我检测是可以接受的，人们更倾向于选择唾液作为采样的生物材料。在广泛可靠地推广自我检测之前，需要综合考虑可及性报告、接触者追踪基础设施、中央登记和不同 RADT 的验证等诸多因素。
