Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort Study
BackgroundThe ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic necessitates the development of accurate, rapid, and affordable diagnostics to help curb disease transmission, morbidity, and mortality. Rapid antigen tests are important tools for scaling up testing for SARS-CoV-2; however, little is...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JMIR Publications
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | JMIR Formative Research |
| Online Access: | https://formative.jmir.org/2022/10/e35426 |
| _version_ | 1827857864114307072 |
|---|---|
| author | Carly Herbert John Broach William Heetderks Felicia Qashu Laura Gibson Caitlin Pretz Kelsey Woods Vik Kheterpal Thejas Suvarna Christopher Nowak Peter Lazar Didem Ayturk Bruce Barton Chad Achenbach Robert Murphy David McManus Apurv Soni |
| author_facet | Carly Herbert John Broach William Heetderks Felicia Qashu Laura Gibson Caitlin Pretz Kelsey Woods Vik Kheterpal Thejas Suvarna Christopher Nowak Peter Lazar Didem Ayturk Bruce Barton Chad Achenbach Robert Murphy David McManus Apurv Soni |
| author_sort | Carly Herbert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundThe ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic necessitates the development of accurate, rapid, and affordable diagnostics to help curb disease transmission, morbidity, and mortality. Rapid antigen tests are important tools for scaling up testing for SARS-CoV-2; however, little is known about individuals’ use of rapid antigen tests at home and how to facilitate the user experience.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe the feasibility and acceptability of serial self-testing with rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2, including need for assistance and the reliability of self-interpretation.
MethodsA total of 206 adults in the United States with smartphones were enrolled in this single-arm feasibility study in February and March 2021. All participants were asked to self-test for COVID-19 at home using rapid antigen tests daily for 14 days and use a smartphone app for testing assistance and to report their results. The main outcomes were adherence to the testing schedule, the acceptability of testing and smartphone app experiences, and the reliability of participants versus study team’s interpretation of test results. Descriptive statistics were used to report the acceptability, adherence, overall rating, and experience of using the at-home test and MyDataHelps app. The usability, acceptability, adherence, and quality of at-home testing were analyzed across different sociodemographic, age, and educational attainment groups.
ResultsOf the 206 enrolled participants, 189 (91.7%) and 159 (77.2%) completed testing and follow-up surveys, respectively. In total, 51.3% (97/189) of study participants were women, the average age was 40.7 years, 34.4% (65/189) were non-White, and 82% (155/189) had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Most (n=133/206, 64.6%) participants showed high testing adherence, meaning they completed over 75% of the assigned tests. Participants’ interpretations of test results demonstrated high agreement (2106/2130, 98.9%) with the study verified results, with a κ score of 0.29 (P<.001). Participants reported high satisfaction with self-testing and the smartphone app, with 98.7% (157/159) reporting that they would recommend the self-test and smartphone app to others. These results were consistent across age, race/ethnicity, and gender.
ConclusionsParticipants’ high adherence to the recommended testing schedule, significant reliability between participants and study staff’s test interpretation, and the acceptability of the smartphone app and self-test indicate that self-tests for SARS-CoV-2 with a smartphone app for assistance and reporting is a highly feasible testing modality among a diverse population of adults in the United States. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:46:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f1470c305444129bae0585f694cd633 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-326X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:46:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Formative Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f1470c305444129bae0585f694cd6332023-08-28T23:16:45ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Formative Research2561-326X2022-10-01610e3542610.2196/35426Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort StudyCarly Herberthttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8972-0474John Broachhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6581-2232William Heetderkshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7714-107XFelicia Qashuhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5675-6355Laura Gibsonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0224-305XCaitlin Pretzhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5272-003XKelsey Woodshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3633-3512Vik Kheterpalhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4752-4229Thejas Suvarnahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4811-0298Christopher Nowakhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1796-9558Peter Lazarhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0744-1461Didem Ayturkhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1309-8388Bruce Bartonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7878-8895Chad Achenbachhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4847-7249Robert Murphyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3936-2052David McManushttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9343-6203Apurv Sonihttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5049-3657 BackgroundThe ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic necessitates the development of accurate, rapid, and affordable diagnostics to help curb disease transmission, morbidity, and mortality. Rapid antigen tests are important tools for scaling up testing for SARS-CoV-2; however, little is known about individuals’ use of rapid antigen tests at home and how to facilitate the user experience. ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe the feasibility and acceptability of serial self-testing with rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2, including need for assistance and the reliability of self-interpretation. MethodsA total of 206 adults in the United States with smartphones were enrolled in this single-arm feasibility study in February and March 2021. All participants were asked to self-test for COVID-19 at home using rapid antigen tests daily for 14 days and use a smartphone app for testing assistance and to report their results. The main outcomes were adherence to the testing schedule, the acceptability of testing and smartphone app experiences, and the reliability of participants versus study team’s interpretation of test results. Descriptive statistics were used to report the acceptability, adherence, overall rating, and experience of using the at-home test and MyDataHelps app. The usability, acceptability, adherence, and quality of at-home testing were analyzed across different sociodemographic, age, and educational attainment groups. ResultsOf the 206 enrolled participants, 189 (91.7%) and 159 (77.2%) completed testing and follow-up surveys, respectively. In total, 51.3% (97/189) of study participants were women, the average age was 40.7 years, 34.4% (65/189) were non-White, and 82% (155/189) had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Most (n=133/206, 64.6%) participants showed high testing adherence, meaning they completed over 75% of the assigned tests. Participants’ interpretations of test results demonstrated high agreement (2106/2130, 98.9%) with the study verified results, with a κ score of 0.29 (P<.001). Participants reported high satisfaction with self-testing and the smartphone app, with 98.7% (157/159) reporting that they would recommend the self-test and smartphone app to others. These results were consistent across age, race/ethnicity, and gender. ConclusionsParticipants’ high adherence to the recommended testing schedule, significant reliability between participants and study staff’s test interpretation, and the acceptability of the smartphone app and self-test indicate that self-tests for SARS-CoV-2 with a smartphone app for assistance and reporting is a highly feasible testing modality among a diverse population of adults in the United States.https://formative.jmir.org/2022/10/e35426 |
| spellingShingle | Carly Herbert John Broach William Heetderks Felicia Qashu Laura Gibson Caitlin Pretz Kelsey Woods Vik Kheterpal Thejas Suvarna Christopher Nowak Peter Lazar Didem Ayturk Bruce Barton Chad Achenbach Robert Murphy David McManus Apurv Soni Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort Study JMIR Formative Research |
| title | Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort Study |
| title_full | Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort Study |
| title_fullStr | Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort Study |
| title_short | Feasibility of At-Home Serial Testing Using Over-the-Counter SARS-CoV-2 Tests With a Digital Smartphone App for Assistance: Longitudinal Cohort Study |
| title_sort | feasibility of at home serial testing using over the counter sars cov 2 tests with a digital smartphone app for assistance longitudinal cohort study |
| url | https://formative.jmir.org/2022/10/e35426 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carlyherbert feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT johnbroach feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT williamheetderks feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT feliciaqashu feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT lauragibson feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT caitlinpretz feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT kelseywoods feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT vikkheterpal feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT thejassuvarna feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT christophernowak feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT peterlazar feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT didemayturk feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT brucebarton feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT chadachenbach feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT robertmurphy feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT davidmcmanus feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy AT apurvsoni feasibilityofathomeserialtestingusingoverthecountersarscov2testswithadigitalsmartphoneappforassistancelongitudinalcohortstudy |