Increasing COVID-19 Testing in Chicago's African American Testing Desserts
Purpose
This study uses a population-based approach to increase uptake of COVID-19 testing within a highly segregated and underserved African American community in Chicago.
Condition
- COVID-19 Pandemic
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- All ages
- Eligible Genders
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
• All individuals who request a COVID-19 test, including pregnant women and children of all ages
Exclusion Criteria
• Individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the prior 3 months
Study Design
- Phase
- N/A
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- N/A
- Intervention Model
- Single Group Assignment
- Intervention Model Description
- This testing intervention is being conducted to increase uptake of COVID-19 testing among residents of the target neighborhoods. The investigators hypothesize that the testing intervention will increase uptake of testing by at least 20%. To assess the impact of the intervention, the investigators will use an interrupted time series (ITS) framework to test the null hypothesis that the addition of the COVID-19 testing intervention would result in no significant change in the level or trend of weekly COVID-19 testing for neighborhood residents. ITS analysis is a quasi-experimental approach to establish causal inference in situations where randomized controlled trials are not feasible, and uses segmented regression to measure changes in the level and slope of the outcome in a post-intervention period compared to a pre-intervention period.
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- None (Open Label)
Arm Groups
Arm | Description | Assigned Intervention |
---|---|---|
Experimental COVID-19 Testing |
COVID-19 antigen and PCR Testing |
|
Recruiting Locations
More Details
- NCT ID
- NCT05197452
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Rush University Medical Center
Detailed Description
The epidemic of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused an unprecedented public health crisis in the United States. African Americans (AA) have been disproportionately impacted, as systemic inequities have contributed to increased exposure and vulnerability to COVID-19. Evidence suggests that AAs are delaying testing and care for COVID-19, which increases risk of transmission and poor outcomes. In Chicago, segregated AA neighborhoods have experienced some of the highest COVID-19 mortality rates in the city, yet large portions of these neighborhoods remain testing deserts. Providing trusted, accessible, community-based testing in underserved AA communities is critical to ensuring that AAs receive an early diagnosis, thereby reducing the risk of further transmission and improving clinical outcomes. This study leverages the Alive Church Network (ACN), a long-standing, community-driven coalition of African American pastors and public health researchers that was developed as a sustainable infrastructure to address health inequities in chronic disease in segregated AA neighborhoods in Chicago. The ACN was designed to address lack of access to health care, cultural insensitivity, and lack of trust, which are the root cause of disparities in chronic disease as well as infectious disease, including COVID-19. This project utilizes the ACN infrastructure to create a network of church-based testing sites in a segregated and underserved AA neighborhood in Chicago that will provide COVID-19 testing and education as well as linkage to healthcare and social resources. Pastors who serve predominantly AA congregations on the South Side of Chicago will form a coalition to promote community-wide COVID-19 testing in local churches and church-based events where residents are congregating, such as Sunday church services, food pantries, and other gatherings. Residents of all ages will receive COVID-19 education and free severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with rapid turn-around of results from an on-site clinical team, as well as connection to local resources to address social needs, including food, housing, and medical care. At-home COVID-19 tests will also be provided to residents for their personal use and to distribute to others in their social network. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of the ACN COVID-19 testing intervention on uptake of testing among residents of target high poverty AA neighborhoods in Chicago. The primary analysis uses an interrupted time series framework, which is a quasi-experimental approach, to test whether the ACN testing intervention is successful at increasing uptake of testing by at least 20% among residents in the target neighborhoods.