Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 9-19-2022
Abstract
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 SARSCoV-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.
Persistant Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4553
Publisher
MDPI
Permanent Email Address
cynthia.ball@uthct.edu
Recommended Citation
Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.; Parvanta, Claudia; Cabral, Naciely; Ball, Cynthia K.; Eastlake, Adrienne; Levin, Jeffrey L.; Moore, Kevin; Nessim, Dalia; Stracener, Ernie; Thiese, Matthew S.; and Schulte, Paul A., "Barriers to SARS-CoV-2 Testing among U.S. Employers in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis Conducted January through April 2021" (2022). School of Medicine Faculty Publications and Presentations. Paper 15.
Description
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).