{"entity": "researcher", "timestamp": "2026-04-14T09:29:19.933Z", "family": "Kennedy", "given": "Beatrice", "initials": "B", "orcid": "0000-0002-0066-4814", "affiliations": [], "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/f9db637901684dae9fed88b6461cb617.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/f9db637901684dae9fed88b6461cb617"}}, "publications": [{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "93233c8b32af48069ae9ddc851a72859", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/93233c8b32af48069ae9ddc851a72859.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/93233c8b32af48069ae9ddc851a72859"}}, "title": "Sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 testing rates: spatiotemporal patterns and impact of test accessibility in Sweden", "authors": [{"family": "Kennedy", "given": "Beatrice", "initials": "B", "orcid": "0000-0002-0066-4814", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/f9db637901684dae9fed88b6461cb617.json"}}, {"family": "Varotsis", "given": "Georgios", "initials": "G"}, {"family": "Hammar", "given": "Ulf", "initials": "U"}, {"family": "Nguyen", "given": "Diem", "initials": "D", "orcid": "0000-0002-9680-5772", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/d78958133e474831ac76dacc36f68cbb.json"}}, {"family": "Carrasquilla", "given": "Germ\u00e1n D", "initials": "GD", "orcid": "0000-0002-7147-9421", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/9c6b7e65542b462280226f7fa37c7dad.json"}}, {"family": "van Zoest", "given": "Vera", "initials": "V", "orcid": "0000-0002-3017-0874", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/870173039b61491681b6dac124808468.json"}}, {"family": "Kristiansson", "given": "Robert S", "initials": "RS", "orcid": "0000-0002-3036-1048", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/73cf81cb13584027bac510e20a222683.json"}}, {"family": "Fitipaldi", "given": "Hugo", "initials": "H", "orcid": "0000-0001-5352-2134", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/ca2f9fb4ba1a42c59104097626568a97.json"}}, {"family": "Dekkers", "given": "Koen F", "initials": "KF", "orcid": "0000-0002-4074-7235", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/ee8d56ef781e42d5b6f21b551054a3e7.json"}}, {"family": "Daivadanam", "given": "Meena", "initials": "M", "orcid": "0000-0002-9532-6059", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/c7e62b29ec70461b9d1313dec044856a.json"}}, {"family": "Martinell", "given": "Mats", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Bj\u00f6rk", "given": "Jonas", "initials": "J", "orcid": "0000-0003-1883-2000", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/a76633f634bf4c62818c717a685d26b4.json"}}, {"family": "Fall", "given": "Tove", "initials": "T", "orcid": "0000-0003-2071-5866", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/4ed3f066719f43b291743a8bdaf3d2a0.json"}}], "type": "journal-article", "published": "2024-02-05", "journal": {"title": "Eur J Public Health", "issn": "1464-360X", "issn-l": null, "volume": "34", "issue": "1", "pages": "14-21"}, "abstract": "Diagnostic testing is essential for disease surveillance and test-trace-isolate efforts. We aimed to investigate if residential area sociodemographic characteristics and test accessibility were associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing rates.\n\nWe included 426 224 patient-initiated COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction tests from Uppsala County in Sweden from 24 June 2020 to 9 February 2022. Using Poisson regression analyses, we investigated if postal code area Care Need Index (CNI; median 1.0, IQR 0.8-1.4), a composite measure of sociodemographic factors used in Sweden to allocate primary healthcare resources, was associated with COVID-19 daily testing rates after adjustments for community transmission. We assessed if the distance to testing station influenced testing, and performed a difference-in-difference-analysis of a new testing station targeting a disadvantaged neighbourhood.\n\nWe observed that CNI, i.e. primary healthcare need, was negatively associated with COVID-19 testing rates in inhabitants 5-69 years. More pronounced differences were noted across younger age groups and in Uppsala City, with test rate ratios in children (5-14 years) ranging from 0.56 (95% CI 0.47-0.67) to 0.87 (95% CI 0.80-0.93) across three pandemic waves. Longer distance to the nearest testing station was linked to lower testing rates, e.g. every additional 10 km was associated with a 10-18% decrease in inhabitants 15-29 years in Uppsala County. The opening of the targeted testing station was associated with increased testing, including twice as high testing rates in individuals aged 70-105, supporting an intervention effect.\n\nEnsuring accessible testing across all residential areas constitutes a promising tool to decrease inequalities in testing.", "doi": "10.1093/eurpub/ckad209", "pmid": "38011903", "labels": {"Bioinformatics Support for Computational Resources": "Service"}, "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC10843959"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "7452814"}], "notes": [], "created": "2023-11-27T21:54:40.158Z", "modified": "2025-12-04T17:15:38.666Z"}]}