Study shows 70% of U.S. adults would conduct at-home test for suspected COVID-19

According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, 70% of U.S. adults would conduct a home test for suspected COVID-19.

Kimberly A. Fisher, M.D., from UMass Chan Medical School in Worchester, and colleagues examined current intent to test for COVID-19 in a cross-sectional online national survey conducted among U.S. adults between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 2024.

A total of 2,009 individuals responded to the question on COVID-19 self-testing. The researchers found that 70.0% of respondents said they would test if they suspected COVID-19.

In a multivariate analysis, a higher likelihood of testing was seen for those older than 60 years; identifying as non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or other or multiple race, non-Hispanic; reporting other than excellent health; having higher trust in the health care system; strongly agreeing that they depend on numbers to make decisions about health; and having previously completed a COVID-19 home test.

Reasons for not or possibly not testing included not seeing a reason to test (53.6%), believing it would not be helpful to know if they were COVID-19 positive (30.1%), not trusting test results (20.7%), preferring not to know (9.1%), not knowing where to get a test (5.8%), and being unable to afford a test (4.9%).

“Test hesitancy may delay oral antiviral initiation and could result in missed opportunities to limit transmission,” the authors write. “Efforts are needed to increase awareness of the value of testing.”

Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, 70% of U.S. adults would conduct a home test for suspected COVID-19.

Kimberly A. Fisher, M.D., from UMass Chan Medical School in Worchester, and colleagues examined current intent to test for COVID-19 in a cross-sectional online national survey conducted among U.S. adults between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 2024.

A total of 2,009 individuals responded to the question on COVID-19 self-testing. The researchers found that 70.0% of respondents said they would test if they suspected COVID-19.

In a multivariate analysis, a higher likelihood of testing was seen for those older than 60 years; identifying as non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or other or multiple race, non-Hispanic; reporting other than excellent health; having higher trust in the health care system; strongly agreeing that they depend on numbers to make decisions about health; and having previously completed a COVID-19 home test.

Reasons for not or possibly not testing included not seeing a reason to test (53.6%), believing it would not be helpful to know if they were COVID-19 positive (30.1%), not trusting test results (20.7%), preferring not to know (9.1%), not knowing where to get a test (5.8%), and being unable to afford a test (4.9%).

“Test hesitancy may delay oral antiviral initiation and could result in missed opportunities to limit transmission,” the authors write. “Efforts are needed to increase awareness of the value of testing.”

Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.