Barriers to SARS-CoV-2 Testing Among U.S. Employers in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis Conducted January Through April 2021

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ball CK ; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J. ; Cabral N ; Eastlake A ; Levin, Jeffrey L. ; Moore K ; Nessim D ; Parvanta C ; Schulte, Paul A. ; Stracener E ; Thiese MS
• Description:
  During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. companies were seeking ways to support their employees to return to the workplace. Nonetheless, the development of strategies to support the access, use, and interpretation of SARS-CoV-2 testing was challenging. In the present study, we explore, from the perspective of owners and company leadership, the barriers to SARS-CoV-2 testing among U.S. companies. Key informant interviews with company representatives were conducted during January-April 2021 about SARS-CoV-2 testing. A pre-interview survey assessed respondent socio-demographic and organizational characteristics. Interview sessions were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using MaxQDA. A total of twenty interviews were completed with at least two interviews conducted in each major U.S. industry sector. Ninety percent of participants represented companies in business >10 years, comprising both small and large workforces. Using a grounded theory approach, six themes emerged: (1) access to and knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 tests; (2) strategies for symptomatic and asymptomatic testing of workers; (3) type/availability of personal protective equipment to mitigate coronavirus exposures; (4) return-to-work policies; (5) guidance and communication of SARS-CoV-2 Testing; and (6) use of contact tracing and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Various modifiable and non-modifiable challenges for SARS-CoV-2 testing among U.S. companies were identified and can inform work-related SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: COVID-19 Barriers Companies Coronavirus COVID-19 Employees Organizations Personal Protection Personal Protective Equipment PPE Qualitative Analysis SARS-CoV-2 Sociological Factors Testing Work Environment Workers

  More +
• ISSN:
  1660-4601
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Florida ; Maryland ; Ohio ; Oklahoma ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6 ; OSHA Region 8 ; Texas ; Utah ; Wisconsin
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSI - Division of Science Integration
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  19
• Issue:
  18
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20066091
• Citation:
  Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Sep; 19(18):11805
• Contact Point Address:
  Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, Department of Public Health Sciences, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
• Email:
  acaban@med.miami.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:183c00cf3a86395b6e4e2d678f158322f66128d603817e7d3f5dfc03670a3fffaea320bd75c89768070568403b48e9aeed705df4a15cac324dfc62311a391748
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/212609/cdc_212609_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 333.54 KB ]