Challenges of COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in School Settings: An Initial Investigation

Anh V Vo; Araz Majnoonian; Jessica Ni; Richard S Garfein; Alison Wishard Guerra; Rebecca Fielding-Miller

doi:10.1111/josh.13308

Challenges of COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in School Settings: An Initial Investigation

J Sch Health. 2023 May;93(5):353-359. doi: 10.1111/josh.13308. Epub 2023 Mar 20.

Authors

Anh V Vo¹, Araz Majnoonian², Jessica Ni³, Richard S Garfein⁴, Alison Wishard Guerra⁵, Rebecca Fielding-Miller⁶

Affiliations

¹ Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Qualitative Researcher, Center on Gender Equity and Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Scholar (Master Candidate), Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
² Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Qualitative Researcher, Center on Gender Equity and Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Scholar (Ph.D. Candidate), Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health-Global Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
³ Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Scholar (Master Candidate), School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
⁴ Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA.
⁵ School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
⁶ Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Assistant Professor, Center on Gender Equity and Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA.

Abstract

Background: Case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) are important public health tools to interrupt COVID-19 transmission. Our study aims to understand how parents and school staff perceive COVID-19 CI/CT.

Methods: Using a mixed methods approach, we distributed a community survey and conducted 15 focus group discussions (FGDs) in English and Spanish between December 2020 and March 2021 with 20 parents and 22 staff from schools in San Diego County ZIP Codes with COVID-19 rates in the top quintile as of August 2020.

Results: One in 4 survey respondents reported that they would be reluctant to participate in CI/CT. FGDs revealed themes of mistrust in government authorities, overburdened institutions, unfamiliarity with CI/CT, and uncertainty about its reliability. School community members emphasized that parents trust schools to be involved in CI/CT efforts, but schools are overwhelmed with this added responsibility.

Conclusions: Investing in schools as community hubs is necessary so they can become important partners in prevention and mitigation in public health.

Keywords: COVID-19; case investigation; children; contact tracing; school health.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Contact Tracing / methods
Focus Groups
Humans
Public Health
Reproducibility of Results

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding