{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T20:42:50Z","timestamp":1792442570276,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,24]],"date-time":"2025-09-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758672000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Expanding SARS-CoV-2 testing was a critical part of community-based health efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the RADx-UP consortium, a large NIH-funded network of community-engaged researchers in the United States, investigators were able to choose between PCR- and antigen-based testing strategies in community-based research settings. Data analyzing how COVID-19 diagnostics are chosen and utilized in research of vulnerable and underserved populations is limited.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title><jats:p>To examine the association of race, ethnicity, and housing stability with a PCR- or antigen-based testing strategy within COVID-19 testing projects in the RADx-UP consortium.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Testing protocols and investigator survey data describing target populations for community-engaged research projects were analyzed for association between race, ethnicity, and housing stability with SARS-CoV-2 test type. Community-engaged research projects were included if they were funded and approved to use PCR- and\/or antigen-based COVID-19 testing by the RADx-UP testing core between 2020 and 2023. Multivariable adjustment to assess for confounding was then performed using rurality, project size, pandemic phase, and census region.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Sixty-seven projects (representing 479,410 participants) were included in the analysis. Overall, 24 (36%) projects chose an antigen-only testing strategy compared to 43 (64%) that chose a PCR-based strategy. No significant differences in distribution were seen in inclusion of PCR-testing by race (16 of 21 for Black race versus 27 of 46 for non-Black race, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.198), ethnicity (22 of 33 for Hispanic ethnicity versus 21 of 34 for non-Hispanic ethnicity, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.765), or housing stability (10 of 17 for unstable housing versus 33 of 50 for stable housing, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.728) within intended population.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Race, ethnicity, and housing stability of an underlying vulnerable population was not significantly associated with the decision by community investigators regarding which COVID-19 testing strategy was most appropriate. Future research efforts should remain vigilant to offer emerging diagnostic technologies in the most equitable and appropriate ways.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1605167","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,24]],"date-time":"2025-09-24T05:43:17Z","timestamp":1758692597000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Association of race, ethnicity, and housing stability with COVID-19 testing method by investigators in underserved populations 2020\u20132023"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Edwin Wilbur","family":"Woodhouse","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Timothy","family":"Veldman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elizabeth","family":"Lydon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisa","family":"Wruck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elizabeth","family":"Petzold","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul","family":"Drain","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eyal","family":"Oren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Susan M.","family":"Kiene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Corinne","family":"McDaniels-Davidson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisa","family":"Gwynn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Krista M.","family":"Perreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Barrie","family":"Harper","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"L. 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