How do we engage people in testing for COVID-19? A rapid qualitative evaluation of a testing programme in schools, GP surgeries and a university

Daniella Watson; Natalia Laverty Baralle; Jawahr Alagil; Krithika Anil; Sandy Ciccognani; Rachel Dewar-Haggart; Sarah Fearn; Julia Groot; Kathryn Knowles; Claire Meagher; Carmel McGrath; Sarah Muir; Jo Musgrove; Kate Glyn-Owen; Kath Woods-Townsend; Andrew Mortimore; Paul Roderick; Janis Baird; Hazel Inskip; Keith Godfrey; Mary Barker

doi:10.1186/s12889-022-12657-4

How do we engage people in testing for COVID-19? A rapid qualitative evaluation of a testing programme in schools, GP surgeries and a university

Daniella Watson^*, Natalia Laverty Baralle, Jawahr Alagil, Krithika Anil, Sandy Ciccognani, Rachel Dewar-Haggart, Sarah Fearn, Julia Groot, Kathryn Knowles, Claire Meagher, Carmel McGrath, Sarah Muir, Jo Musgrove, Kate Glyn-Owen, Kath Woods-Townsend, Andrew Mortimore, Paul Roderick, Janis Baird, Hazel Inskip, Keith GodfreyMary Barker

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Health Professions

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Abstract Background The UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) emphasises the need for high levels of engagement with communities and individuals to ensure the effectiveness of any COVID-19 testing programme. A novel pilot health surveillance programme to assess the feasibility of weekly community RT-LAMP (Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification) testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus using saliva samples collected at home was developed and piloted by the University of Southampton and Southampton City Council. Methods Rapid qualitative evaluation was conducted to explore experiences of those who took part in the programme, of those who declined and of those in the educational and healthcare organisations involved in the pilot testing who were responsible for roll-out. This included 77 interviews and 20 focus groups with 223 staff, students, pupils and household members from four schools, one university, and one community healthcare NHS trust. The insights generated and informed the design and modification of the Southampton COVID-19 Saliva Testing Programme and the next phase of community-testing. Results Discussions revealed that high levels of communication, trust and convenience were necessary to ensure people’s engagement with the programme. Participants felt reassured by and pride in taking part in this novel programme. They suggested modifications to reduce the programme’s environmental impact and overcome cultural barriers to participation. Conclusions Participants’ and stakeholders’ motivations, challenges and concerns need to be understood and these insights used to modify the programme in a continuous, real-time process to ensure and sustain engagement with testing over the extended period necessary. Community leaders and stakeholder organisations should be involved throughout programme development and implementation to optimise engagement.

Original language	English
Number of pages	0
Journal	BMC Public Health
Volume	22
Issue number	1
Early online date	14 Feb 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12657-4
Publication status	Published - 14 Feb 2022

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Watson, D., Baralle, N. L., Alagil, J., Anil, K., Ciccognani, S., Dewar-Haggart, R., Fearn, S., Groot, J., Knowles, K., Meagher, C., McGrath, C., Muir, S., Musgrove, J., Glyn-Owen, K., Woods-Townsend, K., Mortimore, A., Roderick, P., Baird, J., Inskip, H., ... Barker, M. (2022). How do we engage people in testing for COVID-19? A rapid qualitative evaluation of a testing programme in schools, GP surgeries and a university. BMC Public Health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12657-4

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title = "How do we engage people in testing for COVID-19? A rapid qualitative evaluation of a testing programme in schools, GP surgeries and a university",

abstract = "Abstract Background The UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) emphasises the need for high levels of engagement with communities and individuals to ensure the effectiveness of any COVID-19 testing programme. A novel pilot health surveillance programme to assess the feasibility of weekly community RT-LAMP (Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification) testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus using saliva samples collected at home was developed and piloted by the University of Southampton and Southampton City Council. Methods Rapid qualitative evaluation was conducted to explore experiences of those who took part in the programme, of those who declined and of those in the educational and healthcare organisations involved in the pilot testing who were responsible for roll-out. This included 77 interviews and 20 focus groups with 223 staff, students, pupils and household members from four schools, one university, and one community healthcare NHS trust. The insights generated and informed the design and modification of the Southampton COVID-19 Saliva Testing Programme and the next phase of community-testing. Results Discussions revealed that high levels of communication, trust and convenience were necessary to ensure people{\textquoteright}s engagement with the programme. Participants felt reassured by and pride in taking part in this novel programme. They suggested modifications to reduce the programme{\textquoteright}s environmental impact and overcome cultural barriers to participation. Conclusions Participants{\textquoteright} and stakeholders{\textquoteright} motivations, challenges and concerns need to be understood and these insights used to modify the programme in a continuous, real-time process to ensure and sustain engagement with testing over the extended period necessary. Community leaders and stakeholder organisations should be involved throughout programme development and implementation to optimise engagement. ",

author = "Daniella Watson and Baralle, {Natalia Laverty} and Jawahr Alagil and Krithika Anil and Sandy Ciccognani and Rachel Dewar-Haggart and Sarah Fearn and Julia Groot and Kathryn Knowles and Claire Meagher and Carmel McGrath and Sarah Muir and Jo Musgrove and Kate Glyn-Owen and Kath Woods-Townsend and Andrew Mortimore and Paul Roderick and Janis Baird and Hazel Inskip and Keith Godfrey and Mary Barker",

year = "2022",

month = feb,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1186/s12889-022-12657-4",

language = "English",

volume = "22",

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issn = "1472-698X",

publisher = "BioMed Central Ltd.",

number = "1",

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Watson, D, Baralle, NL, Alagil, J, Anil, K, Ciccognani, S, Dewar-Haggart, R, Fearn, S, Groot, J, Knowles, K, Meagher, C, McGrath, C, Muir, S, Musgrove, J, Glyn-Owen, K, Woods-Townsend, K, Mortimore, A, Roderick, P, Baird, J, Inskip, H, Godfrey, K & Barker, M 2022, 'How do we engage people in testing for COVID-19? A rapid qualitative evaluation of a testing programme in schools, GP surgeries and a university', BMC Public Health, vol. 22, no. 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12657-4

TY - JOUR

T1 - How do we engage people in testing for COVID-19? A rapid qualitative evaluation of a testing programme in schools, GP surgeries and a university

AU - Watson, Daniella

AU - Baralle, Natalia Laverty

AU - Alagil, Jawahr

AU - Anil, Krithika

AU - Ciccognani, Sandy

AU - Dewar-Haggart, Rachel

AU - Fearn, Sarah

AU - Groot, Julia

AU - Knowles, Kathryn

AU - Meagher, Claire

AU - McGrath, Carmel

AU - Muir, Sarah

AU - Musgrove, Jo

AU - Glyn-Owen, Kate

AU - Woods-Townsend, Kath

AU - Mortimore, Andrew

AU - Roderick, Paul

AU - Baird, Janis

AU - Inskip, Hazel

AU - Godfrey, Keith

AU - Barker, Mary

PY - 2022/2/14

Y1 - 2022/2/14

N2 - Abstract Background The UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) emphasises the need for high levels of engagement with communities and individuals to ensure the effectiveness of any COVID-19 testing programme. A novel pilot health surveillance programme to assess the feasibility of weekly community RT-LAMP (Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification) testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus using saliva samples collected at home was developed and piloted by the University of Southampton and Southampton City Council. Methods Rapid qualitative evaluation was conducted to explore experiences of those who took part in the programme, of those who declined and of those in the educational and healthcare organisations involved in the pilot testing who were responsible for roll-out. This included 77 interviews and 20 focus groups with 223 staff, students, pupils and household members from four schools, one university, and one community healthcare NHS trust. The insights generated and informed the design and modification of the Southampton COVID-19 Saliva Testing Programme and the next phase of community-testing. Results Discussions revealed that high levels of communication, trust and convenience were necessary to ensure people’s engagement with the programme. Participants felt reassured by and pride in taking part in this novel programme. They suggested modifications to reduce the programme’s environmental impact and overcome cultural barriers to participation. Conclusions Participants’ and stakeholders’ motivations, challenges and concerns need to be understood and these insights used to modify the programme in a continuous, real-time process to ensure and sustain engagement with testing over the extended period necessary. Community leaders and stakeholder organisations should be involved throughout programme development and implementation to optimise engagement.

AB - Abstract Background The UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) emphasises the need for high levels of engagement with communities and individuals to ensure the effectiveness of any COVID-19 testing programme. A novel pilot health surveillance programme to assess the feasibility of weekly community RT-LAMP (Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification) testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus using saliva samples collected at home was developed and piloted by the University of Southampton and Southampton City Council. Methods Rapid qualitative evaluation was conducted to explore experiences of those who took part in the programme, of those who declined and of those in the educational and healthcare organisations involved in the pilot testing who were responsible for roll-out. This included 77 interviews and 20 focus groups with 223 staff, students, pupils and household members from four schools, one university, and one community healthcare NHS trust. The insights generated and informed the design and modification of the Southampton COVID-19 Saliva Testing Programme and the next phase of community-testing. Results Discussions revealed that high levels of communication, trust and convenience were necessary to ensure people’s engagement with the programme. Participants felt reassured by and pride in taking part in this novel programme. They suggested modifications to reduce the programme’s environmental impact and overcome cultural barriers to participation. Conclusions Participants’ and stakeholders’ motivations, challenges and concerns need to be understood and these insights used to modify the programme in a continuous, real-time process to ensure and sustain engagement with testing over the extended period necessary. Community leaders and stakeholder organisations should be involved throughout programme development and implementation to optimise engagement.

U2 - 10.1186/s12889-022-12657-4

DO - 10.1186/s12889-022-12657-4

M3 - Article

SN - 1472-698X

VL - 22

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

IS - 1

ER -

How do we engage people in testing for COVID-19? A rapid qualitative evaluation of a testing programme in schools, GP surgeries and a university

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