Abstract
Objective
In Hong Kong, an online reporting system – Declaration Platform was launched in early March 2022 to allow people who tested positive of COVID-19 through the rapid antigen test to report their status to health authorities, with an aim to facilitate the local health authority to grasp the pandemic situation more accurately and provide appropriate support for infected persons. Nevertheless, little is known about the usage pattern as well as the reasons of using and not using this platform. To fill this gap, we attempted to examine the usage pattern of the declaration system.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hong Kong with COVID-19 survivors who aged 18 or above via an online Qualtrics survey from March to June 2022.
Results
The findings showed that 42.6% of the participants reported that they had used the declaration platform to report the COVID-19 positive results. The top reason for users to use the platform was to fulfil civic responsibility (29.3%), whereas the top reason for people not to use the platform was afraid of being sent to community isolation facilities (26.4%). The study revealed that females, non-students, full-time employees, married individuals, and elderly were more likely to use the declaration platform (p<0.05).
Conclusion
The study findings revealed the reasons and characteristics of people who chose to declare or not declare their COVID-19 positive test result from the rapid antigen test via the platform. It is suggested that appropriate community promotion and education strategies are necessary to improve the declaration rate to better facilitate the local health authority to build a full picture of the pandemic situation and thus implement relevant control measures in reducing the transmission of COVID-19 in the community.
In Hong Kong, an online reporting system – Declaration Platform was launched in early March 2022 to allow people who tested positive of COVID-19 through the rapid antigen test to report their status to health authorities, with an aim to facilitate the local health authority to grasp the pandemic situation more accurately and provide appropriate support for infected persons. Nevertheless, little is known about the usage pattern as well as the reasons of using and not using this platform. To fill this gap, we attempted to examine the usage pattern of the declaration system.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hong Kong with COVID-19 survivors who aged 18 or above via an online Qualtrics survey from March to June 2022.
Results
The findings showed that 42.6% of the participants reported that they had used the declaration platform to report the COVID-19 positive results. The top reason for users to use the platform was to fulfil civic responsibility (29.3%), whereas the top reason for people not to use the platform was afraid of being sent to community isolation facilities (26.4%). The study revealed that females, non-students, full-time employees, married individuals, and elderly were more likely to use the declaration platform (p<0.05).
Conclusion
The study findings revealed the reasons and characteristics of people who chose to declare or not declare their COVID-19 positive test result from the rapid antigen test via the platform. It is suggested that appropriate community promotion and education strategies are necessary to improve the declaration rate to better facilitate the local health authority to build a full picture of the pandemic situation and thus implement relevant control measures in reducing the transmission of COVID-19 in the community.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 18 Aug 2022 |
| Event | International Conference on Environment & Human Health: Challenges & Opportunities in the 21st Century - Online, Hong Kong Duration: 18 Aug 2022 → 19 Aug 2022 https://airtable.com/shr8xRu6PWvJujc6E/tblA43553XrWoZgVr (Conference abstracts) https://www.sce.hkbu.edu.hk/en/upcoming-event/international-conference-on-environment-human-health-challenges-opportunities-in-the-21st-century-sc-translation-en-translation/ |
Conference
| Conference | International Conference on Environment & Human Health |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | ICEHH 2022 |
| Country/Territory | Hong Kong |
| Period | 18/08/22 → 19/08/22 |
| Internet address |