Information given by websites selling home self-sampling COVID-19 tests: an analysis of accuracy and completeness.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To assess the accuracy and completeness of information provided by websites selling home self-sampling and testing kits for COVID-19.

Design

Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting

All websites (n=27) selling direct to user home self-sampling and testing kits for COVID-19 (41 tests) in the UK (39 tests) and USA (two tests) identified by a website search on 23 May 2020.

Main outcome measures

Thirteen predefined basic information items to communicate to a user, including who should be tested, when and how testing should be done, test accuracy, and interpretation of results.

Results

Many websites did not provide the name or manufacturer of the test (32/41; 78%), when to use the test (10/41; 24%), test accuracy (12/41; 29%), and how to interp

SUBMITTER: Taylor-Phillips S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7650079 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature