Preventing within household transmission of Covid-19: is the provision of accommodation to support self-isolation feasible and acceptable?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Preventing within household transmission of Covid-19

T2 - is the provision of accommodation to support self-isolation feasible and acceptable?

AU - Denford, Sarah

AU - Morton, Kate

AU - Horwood, Jeremy

AU - de Garang, Rachel

AU - Yardley, Lucy

N1 - Funding Information: Lucy Yardley is an NIHR Senior Investigator and her research programme is partly supported by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC)-West, NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, and the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). Jeremy Horwood is partly supported by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC)-West, and NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) for Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol. Rachel de Garang is a BME Engagement Worker for the Voice & Influence Partnership at The Care Forum. Funding Information: This study was funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol, in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) and by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) / Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Covid-19 Rapid Response Call 2 (grant number MC_PC 19071). Funding Information: Lucy Yardley is an NIHR Senior Investigator and her research programme is partly supported by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC)-West, NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, and the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). Jeremy Horwood is partly supported by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC)-West, and NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) for Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol. Rachel de Garang is a BME Engagement Worker for the Voice & Influence Partnership at The Care Forum. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).

PY - 2021/9/8

Y1 - 2021/9/8

N2 - Background: Within-household transmission of Covid-19 is responsible for a significant number of infections. Efforts to protect at risk communities are needed. This study explored the acceptability of offering accommodation to support self-isolation among at risk populations, to prevent transmission of Covid-19 within vulnerable households. Methods: Mixed methods design structured in two phases. Phase 1: Survey of 545 individuals who had provided consent to be contacted about ongoing research projects into infection control. Phase 2: Semi-structured interviews with 19 participants from ethnic minority and low income communities. Results: Many survey and interview participants viewed the provision of accommodation as important and necessary in certain contexts. Of the 110 survey respondents, 85 (77%) said that they were not able to isolate at home. Among this group, 24 (28%) said they would accept accommodation and 23 (27%) said that they would probably accept. Of those unable to isolate at home, and at high risk if they caught the virus (N = 36) or living with someone at high risk (N 18), 19 (35%) said that they would accept, and 12 (22%) said they would probably accept accommodation. Factors influencing uptake of accommodation included perceived 1) household vulnerability 2) virus exposure and 3) lack of isolation at home options. Barriers to accepting the accommodation offer included 1) able to isolate at home 2) wanting to be with family 3) caring responsibilities 4) mental wellbeing concerns 5) concerns about moving when ill and 6) infection control concerns. Participants raised issues that should be addressed before accommodation is offered, including questions regarding who should use temporary accommodation and when, and how infection control in temporary accommodation would be managed. Conclusion: The provision of accommodation to prevent within household transmission of Covid-19 is viewed as acceptable, feasible and necessary by some people who are concerned about infection transmission in the home and are unable to self-isolate or socially distance at home. Different households will have different requirements, e.g., those with caring responsibilities, and to overcome these challenges additional support may be needed for the provision of accommodation to be feasible to those who could benefit most.

AB - Background: Within-household transmission of Covid-19 is responsible for a significant number of infections. Efforts to protect at risk communities are needed. This study explored the acceptability of offering accommodation to support self-isolation among at risk populations, to prevent transmission of Covid-19 within vulnerable households. Methods: Mixed methods design structured in two phases. Phase 1: Survey of 545 individuals who had provided consent to be contacted about ongoing research projects into infection control. Phase 2: Semi-structured interviews with 19 participants from ethnic minority and low income communities. Results: Many survey and interview participants viewed the provision of accommodation as important and necessary in certain contexts. Of the 110 survey respondents, 85 (77%) said that they were not able to isolate at home. Among this group, 24 (28%) said they would accept accommodation and 23 (27%) said that they would probably accept. Of those unable to isolate at home, and at high risk if they caught the virus (N = 36) or living with someone at high risk (N 18), 19 (35%) said that they would accept, and 12 (22%) said they would probably accept accommodation. Factors influencing uptake of accommodation included perceived 1) household vulnerability 2) virus exposure and 3) lack of isolation at home options. Barriers to accepting the accommodation offer included 1) able to isolate at home 2) wanting to be with family 3) caring responsibilities 4) mental wellbeing concerns 5) concerns about moving when ill and 6) infection control concerns. Participants raised issues that should be addressed before accommodation is offered, including questions regarding who should use temporary accommodation and when, and how infection control in temporary accommodation would be managed. Conclusion: The provision of accommodation to prevent within household transmission of Covid-19 is viewed as acceptable, feasible and necessary by some people who are concerned about infection transmission in the home and are unable to self-isolate or socially distance at home. Different households will have different requirements, e.g., those with caring responsibilities, and to overcome these challenges additional support may be needed for the provision of accommodation to be feasible to those who could benefit most.

KW - Covid-19

KW - Infection control

KW - Participatory research

KW - Quarantine

KW - Self-isolation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85114514074&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1186/s12889-021-11666-z

DO - 10.1186/s12889-021-11666-z

M3 - Article

C2 - 34496809

AN - SCOPUS:85114514074

SN - 1471-2458

VL - 21

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

IS - 1

M1 - 1641

ER -