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RADx-UP Testing Core: Access to COVID-19 Diagnostics in Community-Engaged Research with Underserved Populations.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Narayanasamy, S; Veldman, TH; Lee, MJ; Glover, WA; Tillekeratne, LG; Neighbors, CE; Harper, B; Raghavan, V; Kennedy, SW; Carper, M; Denny, T ...
Published in: J Clin Microbiol
August 23, 2023

Research on the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 infection and death among underserved populations and exposed low rates of SARS-CoV-2 testing in these communities. A landmark National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding initiative, the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics-Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program, was developed to address the research gap in understanding the adoption of COVID-19 testing in underserved populations. This program is the single largest investment in health disparities and community-engaged research in the history of the NIH. The RADx-UP Testing Core (TC) provides community-based investigators with essential scientific expertise and guidance on COVID-19 diagnostics. This commentary describes the first 2 years of the TC's experience, highlighting the challenges faced and insights gained to safely and effectively deploy large-scale diagnostics for community-initiated research in underserved populations during a pandemic. The success of RADx-UP shows that community-based research to increase access and uptake of testing among underserved populations can be accomplished during a pandemic with tools, resources, and multidisciplinary expertise provided by a centralized testing-specific coordinating center. We developed adaptive tools to support individual testing strategies and frameworks for these diverse studies and ensured continuous monitoring of testing strategies and use of study data. In a rapidly evolving setting of tremendous uncertainty, the TC provided essential and real-time technical expertise to support safe, effective, and adaptive testing. The lessons learned go beyond this pandemic and can serve as a framework for rapid deployment of testing in response to future crises, especially when populations are affected inequitably.

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Published In

J Clin Microbiol

DOI

EISSN

1098-660X

Publication Date

August 23, 2023

Volume

61

Issue

8

Start / End Page

e0036723

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vulnerable Populations
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Pandemics
  • Microbiology
  • Humans
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • COVID-19
  • 3207 Medical microbiology
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 11 Medical and Health Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Narayanasamy, S., Veldman, T. H., Lee, M. J., Glover, W. A., Tillekeratne, L. G., Neighbors, C. E., … Petti, C. A. (2023). RADx-UP Testing Core: Access to COVID-19 Diagnostics in Community-Engaged Research with Underserved Populations. J Clin Microbiol, 61(8), e0036723. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.00367-23
Narayanasamy, Shanti, Timothy H. Veldman, Mark J. Lee, William A. Glover, L Gayani Tillekeratne, Coralei E. Neighbors, Barrie Harper, et al. “RADx-UP Testing Core: Access to COVID-19 Diagnostics in Community-Engaged Research with Underserved Populations.J Clin Microbiol 61, no. 8 (August 23, 2023): e0036723. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.00367-23.
Narayanasamy S, Veldman TH, Lee MJ, Glover WA, Tillekeratne LG, Neighbors CE, et al. RADx-UP Testing Core: Access to COVID-19 Diagnostics in Community-Engaged Research with Underserved Populations. J Clin Microbiol. 2023 Aug 23;61(8):e0036723.
Narayanasamy, Shanti, et al. “RADx-UP Testing Core: Access to COVID-19 Diagnostics in Community-Engaged Research with Underserved Populations.J Clin Microbiol, vol. 61, no. 8, Aug. 2023, p. e0036723. Pubmed, doi:10.1128/jcm.00367-23.
Narayanasamy S, Veldman TH, Lee MJ, Glover WA, Tillekeratne LG, Neighbors CE, Harper B, Raghavan V, Kennedy SW, Carper M, Denny T, Tsalik EL, Reller ME, Kibbe WA, Corbie G, Cohen-Wolkowiez M, Woods CW, Petti CA. RADx-UP Testing Core: Access to COVID-19 Diagnostics in Community-Engaged Research with Underserved Populations. J Clin Microbiol. 2023 Aug 23;61(8):e0036723.

Published In

J Clin Microbiol

DOI

EISSN

1098-660X

Publication Date

August 23, 2023

Volume

61

Issue

8

Start / End Page

e0036723

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vulnerable Populations
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Pandemics
  • Microbiology
  • Humans
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • COVID-19
  • 3207 Medical microbiology
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 11 Medical and Health Sciences