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McDonald SA, Soetens LC, Schipper CMA, et al. Testing behaviour and positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from web-based participatory surveillance in the Netherlands. BMJ Open. 2021;11(12):e056077doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056077.
McDonald, S. A., Soetens, L. C., Schipper, C. M. A., Friesema, I., van den Wijngaard, C. C., Teirlinck, A., Neppelenbroek, N., van den Hof, S., Wallinga, J., & van Hoek, A. J. (2021). Testing behaviour and positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from web-based participatory surveillance in the Netherlands. BMJ open, 11(12), e056077. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056077
McDonald, Scott A, et al. "Testing behaviour and positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from web-based participatory surveillance in the Netherlands." BMJ open vol. 11,12 (2021): e056077. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056077
McDonald SA, Soetens LC, Schipper CMA, Friesema I, van den Wijngaard CC, Teirlinck A, Neppelenbroek N, van den Hof S, Wallinga J, van Hoek AJ. Testing behaviour and positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from web-based participatory surveillance in the Netherlands. BMJ Open. 2021 Dec 21;11(12):e056077. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056077. PMID: 34933864; PMCID: PMC8692782.
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BMJ Open. 2021 Dec 21;11(12):e056077. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056077.

Testing behaviour and positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from web-based participatory surveillance in the Netherlands.

BMJ open

Scott A McDonald, Lucia C Soetens, C Maarten A Schipper, Ingrid Friesema, Cees C van den Wijngaard, Anne Teirlinck, Nienke Neppelenbroek, Susan van den Hof, Jacco Wallinga, Albert Jan van Hoek

Affiliations

  1. Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands [email protected].
  2. Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
  3. Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

PMID: 34933864 PMCID: PMC8692782 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056077

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify populations at a high risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection but who are less likely to present for testing, by determining which sociodemographic and household factors are associated with a lower propensity to be tested and, if tested, with a higher risk of a positive test result.

DESIGN AND SETTING: Internet-based participatory surveillance data from the general population of the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS: Weekly survey data collected over a 5-month period (17 November 2020 to 18 April 2021) from a total of 12 026 participants who had contributed at least 2 weekly surveys was analysed.

METHODS: Multivariable analyses using generalised estimating equations for binomial outcomes were conducted to estimate the adjusted ORs of testing and of test positivity associated with participant and household characteristics.

RESULTS: Male sex (adjusted OR for testing (OR

CONCLUSIONS: The factors identified using this approach can help identify potential target groups for improving communication and encouraging testing among those with symptoms, and thus increase the effectiveness of testing, which is essential for the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and for public health strategies in the longer term.

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Keywords: COVID-19; epidemiology; public health

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

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