dbGaP Study Accession: phs002745

NIH Institute/Center: NIMHD

RADx Data Program: RADx-UP

Release Date: 12/07/2023

DOI: 10.60773/an3v-wq86

Study Description: In Puerto Rico (PR), the first COVID-19 case was confirmed early March 2020. To date, cases have exponentially increased partly due to the lifting of locked-down restriction by the PR government, limited COVID-19 testing, and contact tracing. Puerto Ricans living on the island are particularly vulnerable to the current overlapping of the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters (earthquake, hurricanes/storms). Limited access to molecular COVID-19 testing throughout PR has been a significant challenge. Without adequate testing, estimates for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection rates are limited and targeted prevention efforts (focused testing) may hinder. A group of epidemiologists led by Dr. Marzán (MPI) developed a web-based COVID-19 Epidemiologic Surveillance System (ESSS) in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust (PRPHT, community partner for this grant) with more than 46,000 surveys completed. The ESSS tool was an online geocoded survey that identified real-time data of COVID-19 signs and symptoms during the last 24 hours; and thus, prioritized communities for COVID-19 testing. Leveraging the current PHSU-PRI COVID-19 prevention efforts and the ESSS infrastructure, the research team tested the preliminary impact of an epidemic intelligence (EpI-Net) community-based intervention aimed at increasing COVID-19 testing uptake and prevention practices among socially vulnerable communities in PR. The working hypothesis was that the integration of lay community leaders, trained in the use of COVID-19 prevention technology tools (EpI-Net), resulted in increased COVID-19 testing uptake and prevention practices among the targeted socially and epidemiologically vulnerable communities in Puerto Rico. This highly innovative and impactful study shifted current COVID-19 prevention strategies by 1) establishing an epidemic intelligence infrastructure using a technology-based COVID-19 syndromic surveillance (ESSS) platform to identify in real time potential COVID-19 outbreaks and, thus, conduct targeted COVID-19 testing, 2) by implementing a population-based COVID-19 prevention intervention (EpI-Net) co-led by epidemiologists and lay community leaders trained as health promotors.

Updated Date: 04/17/2024

Principal Investigator: Rodriguez Marzan, Melissa

Has Data Files: Yes

Study Domain: Community Outreach Programs; Disease Surveillance; Testing Rate or Uptake; Virological Testing

Data Collection Method: Interview or Focus Group; Molecular Nucleic Acid or PCR Testing Device; Survey

Keywords: Epidemiologic Surveillance System

Study Design: Longitudinal Cohort

Multi-Center Study: No

Data Types: Behavioral; Biologic Specimens; Clinical; Family History; Immunological; Psychological; Questionnaire or Survey; Social

Study Start Date: 11/01/2020

Study End Date: 10/31/2022

Species: Human

Sample Size: 2662

Study Population Focus: Adults; Hispanics or Latinos; Lower Socioeconomic Status (SES) Populations; Older Adults or Elderly; Underserved or Vulnerable Populations

Study Website URL: https://ctv.veeva.com/study/epidemiologic-intelligence-network-epi-net-to-promote-covid-19-testing

ClinicalTrials.gov URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04910542

Publication URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37264399/

Acknowledgement Statement: This study was supported through funding, 3R21MD013674-02S2, for the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) as part of the RADx-UP program. We want to thank all the participants who were part of our study. We greatly appreciate the community leaders who were a part of each of our initiatives at EpI-NET. In addition, we appreciate the support and collaboration of each of the members of the research team, the Ponce Research Institute, Puerto Rico Public Health Trust, and the RADx-UP NIH Initiative for allowing us to impact vulnerable communities in Puerto Rico during the COVID-19 pandemic. Approved users should acknowledge the provision of data access by dbGaP for accession phs002745.v1.p1, and the NIH RADx Data Hub. Approved users should also acknowledge the specific version(s) of the dataset(s) obtained from the NIH RADx Data Hub.

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: PA-20-135

NIH Grant or Contract Number(s): 3R21MD013674-02S2

Consent/Data Use Limitations: General Research Use