dbGaP Study Accession: phs002601

NIH Institute/Center: NIDA

RADx Data Program: RADx-UP

Release Date: 08/30/2023

DOI: 10.60773/mx0a-y046

Study Description: Community network-driven COVID-19 testing of vulnerable populations in the Central US (C3) implemented and evaluated a COVID-19 testing approach that combines an evidence-based Social Network Testing Strategy (SNS) with community developed COVID-19 public health messages (SNS+). C3 engaged two disenfranchised populations across rural and urban sites in states across the Central US (TX, LA, AR, IN, IL). C3 leveraged NIDA's Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), the PIs' extensive community located COVID-19 testing programs, and a network of established community partnerships. The collaborative community-academic partnerships, research and engagement infrastructure, and team's leadership across JCOIN ensured that C3 could rapidly recruit, enroll and test most disenfranchised community members, (n=2400) and through this process, accelerate any forthcoming COVID-19 public health prevention interventions. C3 focused on two communities most impacted by COVID-19: 1) Criminal justice involved (CJI)-non-incarcerated people with previous history of arrest/jail/prison, probation/parole and drug-court attendance; and 2) Low-income Latinx community members at 250% or below Federal Poverty Level. Both of these diverse populations, and the overlap between them, have some of the highest rates of COVID-19 infection and death in the United States. Messaging that affirms individual agency and corrects misinformation, combined with accessible and acceptable testing, was required to accelerate COVID-19 prevention for these populations. Contextually adapted and theory-driven messages – misinformation correction and self-affirmation – were used to increase awareness, self-efficacy and community engagement in the adapted testing strategy, the Social Network testing Strategy (SNS). SNS is an evidence-based testing intervention that has been widely used in multiple settings with marginalized individuals (i.e. substance-users) who facilitate the recruitment of their social contacts into testing services. SNS combined with theory-driven, contextually appropriate COVID-19 messaging (SNS+) address challenges to current COVID-19 testing strategies which are limited by misinformation, stigma, distrust, and limited affirmation of ability to prevent COVID-19. C3 in partnership with community: Developed COVID-19 messages that emphasize self-affirmation and misinformation correction for implementation in SNS; Tested the efficacy (number of network members COVID-19 tested) of a combined SNS-messaging (SNS+) intervention versus standard SNS using adaptive randomization; and Evaluated C3 implementation strategies and key implementation outcomes (i.e. cost) using the RE-AIM framework. The disenfranchised populations to be engaged in C3 reflected those most impacted by COVID-19 and least able to adopt COVID-19 prevention practices. C3 was shovel-ready for implementation in the short time frame of the RADx-UP mechanism, with significant institutional commitments and community support, to ensure the procedures and interventions were tailored, feasible, acceptable and effective for at-risk communities.

Updated Date: 04/17/2024

Principal Investigator: Schneider, John

Has Data Files: Yes

Study Domain: Testing Rate/Uptake; Health Behaviors; Virological Testing; Substance Use; Community Outreach Programs

Data Collection Method: Survey

Keywords: COVID Outreach/Education; Social Network Testing Strategy

Study Design: Longitudinal Cohort

Multi-Center Study: TRUE

Study Sites: Indiana University; Capitol Area Reentry Program; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Better Community Development; University of Texas Southwestern; Project Vida; Howard Brown Health Center; The Community Action Place

Data Types: Electronic Medical Records; Behavioral; Clinical; Supporting Documents; Social; Questionnaires/Surveys

Study Start Date: 09/30/2020

Study End Date: 08/31/2022

Species: Human Data

Estimated Cohort Size: 2400

Study Population Focus: Rural Communities; Adults; Older Adults or Elderly; Incarcerated/Institutionalized (or Criminal Legal System Involvement); Underserved/Vulnerable Population; Hispanic and Latino

ClinicalTrials.gov URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04743908

Acknowledgement Statement: This study was supported through funding, 3UG1DA050066-03S1, for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) as part of the RADx-UP program. Approved users should acknowledge the provision of data access by dbGaP for accession phs002601.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: RFA-DA-19-025

NIH Grant or Contract Number(s): 3UG1DA050066-03S1

Consent/Data Use Limitations: General Research Use