Kawuki Joseph, Fang Yuan, Yu Fuk-Yuen, Ye Danhua, Chan Paul Shing-Fong, Chen Siyu, Wang Zixin
Centre for Health Behaviours Research, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Department of Health and Physical Education, the Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023 Aug 8;3(8):e0002196. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002196. eCollection 2023.
Faster diagnosis of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is crucial for surveillance, prompt implementation of infection control measures and adequate patient care among older adults. This study investigated the behavioral intention to use Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) and associated factors among older adults in Hong Kong for health monitoring and when having COVID-19-like symptoms. This was a population-based cross-sectional random telephone survey of 370 Chinese-speaking adults aged ≥65 years. The behavioral intention to use RAT was the main outcome, and logistic regression models were used to assess the associated factors, using SPSS (version 26.0.). Results indicate that among the participants, 90.3% had used RAT, of which 21.6% obtained positive results. The common challenges faced when using RAT included: difficulty choosing the right RAT kit, uncertainty about how to use RAT, and not knowing what to do after getting a positive result. Additionally, 27.3% intended to use RAT regularly for health status monitoring without any symptoms, while 87.0% if they had COVID-19-like symptoms. After adjustment for significant background characteristics, positive attitudes, perceiving Hong Kong government and their children and/or other family members would support them using RAT, belief that RAT health promotion materials were helpful to understand how to use RAT and thoughtful consideration of the veracity of COVID-19 specific information were associated with higher behavioral intention to use RAT both when having no symptoms and in presence of COVID-19-like symptoms. Having negative attitudes toward RAT was associated with a lower intention of RAT use only when having no symptoms. Addressing difficulties faced when using RAT, strengthening positive attitudes, involving significant others and empowering with adequate information-veracity evaluating skills are potentially vital strategies to increase RAT use among older adults.
快速诊断2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）对于监测、及时实施感染控制措施以及为老年人提供充分的患者护理至关重要。本研究调查了香港老年人在进行健康监测以及出现COVID-19样症状时使用快速抗原检测（RAT）的行为意向及相关因素。这是一项基于人群的横断面随机电话调查，对象为370名年龄≥65岁的讲中文成年人。使用RAT的行为意向是主要结果，采用SPSS（版本26.0）的逻辑回归模型评估相关因素。结果表明，在参与者中，90.3%使用过RAT，其中21.6%检测结果呈阳性。使用RAT时面临的常见挑战包括：难以选择正确的RAT试剂盒、不确定如何使用RAT以及检测结果呈阳性后不知如何处理。此外，27.3%的人打算在没有任何症状时定期使用RAT进行健康状况监测，而出现COVID-19样症状时这一比例为87.0%。在对显著背景特征进行调整后，积极的态度、认为香港政府及其子女和/或其他家庭成员会支持他们使用RAT、相信RAT健康促进材料有助于了解如何使用RAT以及认真考虑COVID-19特定信息的真实性，与在没有症状以及出现COVID-19样症状时使用RAT的更高行为意向相关。仅在没有症状时，对RAT持消极态度与使用RAT的意愿较低相关。解决使用RAT时面临的困难、强化积极态度、让重要他人参与以及赋予足够的信息真实性评估技能，可能是增加老年人使用RAT的关键策略。
