Wang Sharron Xuanren, Rogers Nicole Bell, Harrington Melissa, Dillard Dorothy
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Delaware State University, Dover, DE USA.
Department of Nursing, Delaware State University, Dover, DE USA.
Discov Soc Sci Health. 2022;2(1):9. doi: 10.1007/s44155-022-00013-1. Epub 2022 Jun 27.
Health experts believe that frequent COVID-19 testing is one of the most important practices for stopping the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Demographic and social factors might play a role in whether a person gets tested for COVID. This present study aimed to investigate (1) the demographic and social factors affecting a person's likelihood of getting tested for COVID-19, and (2) the demographic and social factors related to a positive serology test (i.e., indicating likely past infection).
Data were extracted from a survey conducted in Delaware's underserved communities. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire about their COVID-19 testing history, and nurses at the study site collected a serology sample from each participant.
Our results indicated that Black or Hispanic individuals living in underserved communities had greater odds of having been tested previously for COVID compared to being non-Hispanic White. In addition, our study found that being female, educated, feeling safe in one's neighborhood, being vaccinated against COVID, and being an essential worker increased one's odds of having been previously tested for COVID-19. Regarding the results of the COVID-19 antibody serology tests, our findings revealed that Hispanic respondents were more likely to have a positive serology test compared to non-Hispanic White respondents, indicating that the Hispanic individuals were more likely to contract the virus. Educated individuals were less likely to have a positive serology test compared to the less-educated. Those who expressed hesitancy about getting vaccinated for COVID-19 and identified themselves as essential workers were more likely to have a positive serology test and to have previously contracted the virus.
Identifying key factors associated with COVID-19 testing may help establish novel strategies to increase testing rates among vulnerable population. Public health and policy implications are discussed in the article.
健康专家认为，频繁进行新冠病毒检测是阻止新冠病毒传播的最重要措施之一。人口统计学和社会因素可能会影响一个人是否进行新冠病毒检测。本研究旨在调查：（1）影响一个人进行新冠病毒检测可能性的人口统计学和社会因素；（2）与血清学检测呈阳性（即表明可能既往感染）相关的人口统计学和社会因素。
数据取自对特拉华州服务不足社区进行的一项调查。参与者被要求填写一份关于其新冠病毒检测史的问卷，研究地点的护士从每位参与者身上采集了一份血清学样本。
我们的结果表明，与非西班牙裔白人相比，生活在服务不足社区的黑人或西班牙裔个体之前接受新冠病毒检测的几率更高。此外，我们的研究发现，女性、受过教育、在社区中感到安全、接种过新冠疫苗以及是一线工作者会增加一个人之前接受新冠病毒检测的几率。关于新冠病毒抗体血清学检测结果，我们的研究结果显示，与非西班牙裔白人受访者相比，西班牙裔受访者血清学检测呈阳性的可能性更大，这表明西班牙裔个体感染该病毒的可能性更高。与受教育程度较低的人相比，受过教育的人血清学检测呈阳性的可能性较小。那些对接种新冠疫苗表示犹豫并自称是一线工作者的人血清学检测呈阳性且之前感染过该病毒的可能性更大。
确定与新冠病毒检测相关的关键因素可能有助于制定新策略，以提高弱势群体的检测率。本文讨论了其对公共卫生和政策的影响。
