A pragmatic randomized trial of home-based testing for COVID-19 in rural Native American and Latino communities: Protocol for the "Protecting our Communities" study.

Publication Title

Contemp Clin Trials

Authors

Matthew J Thompson
Paul K Drain
Charlie E Gregor
Laurie A Hassell
Linda K Ko
Victoria Lyon
Selena Ahmed
Sonia Bishop
Virgil Dupuis
Lorenzo Garza
Allison A. Lambert, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine and Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MarylandFollow
Carly Rowe
Teresa Warne
Eliza Webber
Wendy Westbroek
Alexandra K Adams

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-9-2022

Keywords

washington; spokane; pmrc; covid-19; diversity

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Home-based testing for COVID-19 has potential to reduce existing health care disparities among underserved populations in the United States. However, implementation of home-based tests in these communities may face significant barriers. This study evaluates the acceptability, feasibility, and success of home-based testing and the potential added benefit of active support from trusted community health workers for Native Americans and Hispanic/Latino adults living in rural Montana and Washington states.

METHODS/DESIGN: The academic-community research team designed the trial to be responsive to community needs for understanding barriers and supports to home-based COVID-19 testing. The "Protecting Our Community" study is a two-arm pragmatic randomized controlled trial in which a total of 400 participants are randomized to active or passive arms. Participants of both study arms receive a commercially available home collection COVID-19 test kit, which is completed by mailing a self-collected nasal swab to a central laboratory. The primary study outcome is return of the kit to the central lab within 14 days. The cultural, social, behavioral, and economic barriers to home-based COVID-19 testing are also assessed by qualitative research methods. A survey and semi-structured interviews are conducted after the trial to evaluate perceptions and experience of home-based testing.

DISCUSSION: Implementing home-based testing in underserved populations, including among Native American and Hispanic/Latino communities, may require additional support to be successful. The Protecting Our Community trial examines the effect of trusted community health workers on use of home-based testing, which may be adaptable for community-driven models of home-based testing in other underserved populations.

Specialty/Research Institute

Epidemiology

Specialty/Research Institute

Infectious Diseases

Specialty/Research Institute

Population Health