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Drivers of SARS-CoV-2 testing behaviour: a modelling study using nationwide testing data in England.
Younjung Kim1, Christl A Donnelly2,3,4, Pierre Nouvellet5,6
1Department of Evolution, Behaviour, and Environment, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
Understanding COVID-19 testing behavior is crucial for public health. This study quantifies how transmission, risk perception, and policies influenced SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing in England.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- National COVID-19 testing programs were vital during the pandemic.
- Limited research quantifies factors influencing SARS-CoV-2 testing behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of transmission, susceptibility, risk perception, and public health measures on SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing behavior.
- To model testing trends in England over a 20-month period.
Main Methods:
- Linked SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing data with epidemic trends and contextual metadata.
- Developed a systematic conceptual framework to analyze testing behavior.
- Utilized a best-fitting model to explain deviance in testing data.
Main Results:
- The best model explained nearly 80% of the variability in NHS testing data.
- Testing behavior demonstrated complex associations with transmission levels, age, variants, and vaccination status.
- Public health measures, risk perception, and infection status significantly influenced testing patterns, which varied over time.
Conclusions:
- SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing behavior is influenced by a complex interplay of epidemiological, individual, and policy-related factors.
- Understanding these dynamics is essential for effective infectious disease surveillance and control strategies.
- Testing behavior differed between infected and non-infected individuals throughout the pandemic.
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