Examining the association between reported COVID-19 symptoms and testing for COVID-19 in Canada: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

ObjectivesStudies on the management of the COVID-19 pandemic through testing have been conducted in countries that have been hardest hit by this pandemic. Considering the importance of testing in containing the spread of COVID-19, it is useful to have evidence on continuing COVID-19 testing even in countries where the prevalence of COVID-19 is relatively low. We, therefore, examined the association between reported COVID-19 symptoms and testing for COVID-19 in Canada.Design and settingsWe conducted an online survey using the SurveyMonkey platform between July and October 2020 across Canada.ParticipantsA nationally representative sample size of 2790 adult individuals was used.ResultsOur findings show that respondents who reported that they and/or members of their households had COVID-19 symptoms were more likely to test for COVID-19 (adjusted OR, aOR 1.91; 95% CI 1.32 to 2.76) as compared with those who did not report COVID-19 symptoms. The likelihood of testing for COVID-19 was lower among male respondents compared with females (aOR 0.69; 95% CI 0.49 to 0.96), respondents aged 65–84 compared with those aged 18–44 (aOR 0.62; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.93), and respondents in British Columbia compared with those residing in Quebec. Higher odds of testing for COVID-19 were found among respondents who lived in Alberta compared with those who lived in Quebec (aOR 0.42; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.75) and respondents who had postgraduate education compared with those with high school or less education (aOR 1.84; 95% CI 1.01 to 3.36). The association between reported COVID-19 symptoms and testing for COVID-19 was statistically significant among female respondents (aOR 1.52; 95% CI 1.81 to 3.52) but not among male respondents.ConclusionsIn conclusion, this study provides evidence in support of the hypothesis that there is significant association between reported COVID-19 symptoms and COVID-19 testing among adult Canadians. The study highlights the need for the Canadian government to prioritise subpopulations (ie, males, those aged 65–85, and those with high school or less education) that have lower likelihood of seeking COVID-19 testing to get tested when they have symptoms.

COVID-19 among Black people in Canada: a scoping review

“…Two studies reported on disparities in COVID-19 screening. 35 , 36 In a cross-sectional study, Pongou et al 36 found that the prevalence of being tested for COVID-19 across reported COVID-19 symptoms was far lower among Black Canadians (8.46%) than among those who were White (17.30%), mixed race/ethnicity (28.41%) or from another ethnoracial group (27.37%), although the differences were not statistically significant.…”

“…Four studies examined high rates of COVID-19 infection among Black Canadians. 36 - 39 A quantitative study indicated that higher numbers of COVID-19 cases are associated with socioeconomic factors such as race and housing. For instance, of all marginalized groups in Montral, Quebec, the strongest relationship with positive COVID-19 cases occurred among those living in overcrowded housing and in boroughs with high proportions of Black people.…”

Cross-Canada Variability in Blood Donor SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence by Social Determinants of Health

“…With the closures of schools, childcare may have fallen disproportionately to females, necessitating more time in the home and reducing social contacts. The risk for males in the workplace may be different from that of females ( 41 , 49 ).…”

Pedagogical and socio-emotional impacts of COVID-19 on Guinean school children: evidence from a mixed cross-sectional study

“…A mixed cross-sectional survey study was used to investigate the short-term impacts of COVID-19 in Guinea. The survey instrument was adapted from Canning et al (2020) and Pongou et al (2022). Both qualitative and quantitative questions were included in the survey, to collect descriptive data on the sociodemographic characteristics of participants as well as symptoms of COVID-19, work experience, loss of income, education, mental health, social distancing behavior, COVID-19 testing and vaccination.…”