Before the wave: Exploring early perspectives on COVID-19 self-testing among African Americans in Eastern North Carolina.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, African Americans in rural communities faced disproportionate rates of hospitalizations and deaths. The emergence of the omicron variant further exacerbated these disparities, with African American adults approximately four times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 compared to their White counterparts. To curb the transmission of the virus, public health professionals advocated COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including testing. However, barriers such as limited testing sites, long wait times, and privacy concerns hindered testing accessibility in rural areas. This study characterizes the early perceptions and acceptability of COVID-19 self-testing among African Americans in eastern North Carolina.

Method

We con

SUBMITTER: Ritchwood TD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12407405 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature