[Continuous SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in day care centres: A qualitative interview study on the experiences of childcare workers and parents with different self-sampling methods in the home environment]. / Kontinuierliche Überwachung von SARS-CoV-2 Infektionen in Kindertagesstätten: eine qualitative Interviewstudie über die Erfahrungen von Betreuer*innen und Eltern mit verschiedenen Testverfahren im häuslichen Umfeld.

BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of the corona pandemic in Germany in January 2020, day care centres (DCC) have faced the challenge of reliably detecting cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection as early and reliably as possible in order to avoid major outbreaks and closures. Conducting regular virological screening tests for asymptomatic DCC children and childcare workers requires a high level of acceptance among participants and should be as easy as possible to implement. The present study aimed to evaluate childcare workers' and parents' attitudes and experiences regarding the acceptance and feasibility of various screening methods. This assessment was conducted using additional qualitative interviews designed for home-based screening in the context of a screening study in DCCs. METHOD: From May to July 2021, childcare workers and parents of children in nine DCCs in Wuerzburg independently carried out screening tests for SARS-CoV-2 at home twice a week as part of the "Würzburg Child Care Study in the COVID-19 Pandemic 2.0". The participants were offered two self-sampling methods (mouth-rinsing fluid for pooled PCR tests and/or nasal rapid antigen self-tests). Before and after the 12-week test phase, telephone interviews were conducted with a selected sample of childcare workers and parents in order to ascertain initial attitudes and further experiences with the two self-sampling methods and their implementation. The interviews were fully transcribed for analysis and subjected to a qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz. RESULTS: Of the 1,026 eligible participants, 591 individuals, including 139 childcare workers and the parents of 452 children, agreed to take part in the screening tests. A total of 49 interviews were conducted with a specifically selected sample (20 before the start of the test, 29 after the end of the test). In the qualitative content analysis, three overarching topics emerged: 'aspects of the test performance', 'aspects of the perception of safety' and 'aspects of the testing in children'. Regardless of the fact that the various test methods and test features were perceived very differently, conducting the tests at home was found to be feasible. DISCUSSION: The differentiated insights into the participants' perspectives provide valuable information about factors that influence the acceptance of self-testing. These should be taken into account before such a measure is introduced in DCCs if necessary. CONCLUSION: The assessment of test procedures is strongly influenced by individual preferences. Test concepts should be implemented with as little time and organisational effort as possible in order to promote willingness to participate. Clear study information and quick feedback on test results can enhance the sense of security among parents and childcare workers.

General practitioners' decision making managing uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: To be effective, interventions aimed at increasing the appropriateness of antibiotic use in primary care should consider the perspectives of prescribing physicians. AIM: To explore the decision making of general practitioners (GPs) when managing uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) in women. DESIGN & SETTING: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 22 GPs in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg (southern Germany). METHOD: Verbatim transcripts were analysed through inductive qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: We generated the following three main themes: factors facilitating the decision making; factors complicating the decision making; and consultation modalities. According to participants, following evidence-based recommendations makes the prescription decision smoother. GPs' and patients' prior experiences and beliefs guides decisions towards certain antibiotics, even if those experiences and beliefs contradict evidence-based recommendations. Patient expectations and demands also condition antibiotic prescribing, favouring it. Organisational constraints, such as time pressure, the day of the week (for example, before weekends), and a lower cost of antibiotics for patients than alternative treatments favour the decision to prescribe antibiotics. Diagnostic and prognostic uncertainty complicates decision making, as does scepticism towards evidence-based recommendations. Discordance within the patient-doctor relationship contributed to this complexity. Regarding consultation modalities, a more in-depth consultation and shared decision making were seen as helpful in this process. CONCLUSION: We identified different factors as intervening against or for a straightforward management decision when dealing with women with uUTIs. They reveal the complexity behind the GPs' decision making. Providing GPs with easy-to-apply guidance while removing economic constraints to allocate sufficient consultation time, and supporting shared decision making may help GPs appropriately manage uUTIs in women.

Acceptance of Different Self-sampling Methods for Semiweekly SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Asymptomatic Children and Childcare Workers at German Day Care Centers: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

Importance: Closure of day care centers (DCCs) to contain the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with negative effects on children's health and well-being. Objective: To investigate the acceptance of self-sampling methods for continuous SARS-CoV-2 surveillance among asymptomatic children and childcare workers (CCWs) in DCCs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This nonrandomized pilot study included children and CCWs at 9 DCCs in Wuerzburg, Germany, from May to July 2021. Interventions: Twice weekly testing for SARS-CoV-2 was conducted by self-sampled mouth-rinsing fluid (saliva sampling [SAL], with subsequent pooled polymerase chain reaction test) plus nasal rapid antigen self-test (RAgT) (group 1), SAL only (group 2), or RAgT only (group 3) in children and CCWs. Main Outcomes and Measures: Main outcomes were rates for initial acceptance and successful (≥60% of scheduled samples) long-term participation. The probability of SARS-CoV-2 introduction into DCCs was modeled as a function of age-adjusted background incidence and DCC size. Results: Of 836 eligible children, 452 (54.1%; 95% CI, 50.7%-57.4%) participated (median [IQR] age: 4 [3-5] years; 213 [47.1%] girls), including 215 (47.6%) in group 1, 172 (38.1%) in group 2, and 65 (14.4%) in group 3. Of 190 CCWs, 139 (73.2%; 95% CI, 66.4%-79.0%) participated (median [IQR] age: 30 [25-46] years; 128 [92.1%] women), including 96 (69.1%) in group 1, 29 (20.9%) in group 2, and 14 (10.1%) in group 3. Overall, SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests on 5306 SAL samples and 2896 RAgTs were performed in children, with 1 asymptomatic child detected by PCR from SAL. Successful long-term participation was highest in group 2 (SAL only; children: 111 of 172 [64.5%]; CCWs: 18 of 29 [62.1%]). Weekly participation rates in children ranged from 54.0% to 83.8% for SAL and from 44.6% to 61.4% for RAgT. Participation rates decreased during the study course (P < .001). The probability of SARS-CoV-2 introduction into a DCC with 50 children was estimated to reach at most 5% for an age-adjusted SARS-CoV-2 incidence below 143. Conclusions and Relevance: Self-sampling for continuous SARS-CoV-2 testing was well accepted, with SAL being the preferred method. Given the high number of negative tests, thresholds for initiating continuous testing should be established based on age-adjusted SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates. Trial Registration: German Registry for Clinical Trials Identifier: DRKS00025546.

Corrigendum: Parents' and childcare workers' perspectives toward SARS-CoV-2 test and surveillance protocols in pre-school children day care centers: A qualitative study within the german Wü-KiTa-CoV project.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.897726.].

Parents' and Childcare Workers' Perspectives Toward SARS-CoV-2 Test and Surveillance Protocols in Pre-school Children Day Care Centers: A Qualitative Study Within the German Wü-KiTa-CoV Project.

Background: Feasibility of surveillance through continuous SARS-CoV-2 testing in pre-school children and childcare workers (CCWs) to prevent closure of day care centers (DCCs) was proven in the Wü-KiTa-CoV study. The purpose of this study was to describe the factors that facilitate or hinder the implementation of continuous SARS-CoV-2 testing from the perspective of parents and CCWs involved in the study. Methods: A total of 148 semi-structured telephone interviews, repeated before and after the implementation of the surveillance protocols, were conducted with parents and CCWs belonging to the DCCs involved in Wü-KiTa-CoV and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Five main topical categories that influences implementation of surveillance protocols for SARS-CoV-2 in DCCs emerged: Generating valuable knowledge, Impact on daily life, Communication and information, Children's wellbeing and the Sense of security. Smooth integration in daily routines, quickly delivered test results, and efficient communication and information between the study team and the participants were identified as factors that had a positive impact on implementation. To ensure children's wellbeing, the introduction of non-invasive testing procedures such as saliva testing, parental involvement to motivate, and prepare children for the procedure, the creation of a child-friendly environment for testing, and use of child-friendly explanations were considered critical. The surveillance was found to increase the sense of security during the pandemic. Conversely, reliability of tests in the surveillance protocols, low participation rates, non-transparent communication, the need to travel to testing sites, fear of quarantine in case of positive test results, concerns about higher workloads, the fear of unpleasant feelings for children, their young age, and changing test teams were considered as hindering factors. Conclusion: This qualitative study of parents of children in day care and DCC staff under surveillance through continuous testing for SARS-CoV-2 in nine German DCCs identified several factors that facilitate or hinder its implementation. These should be considered when planning screening interventions to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 or other infectious diseases in pre-school children DCCs.

Feasibility of SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance Testing Among Children and Childcare Workers at German Day Care Centers: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

Importance: Closure of day care centers has been implemented globally to contain the COVID-19 pandemic but has negative effects on children's health and psychosocial well-being. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of surveillance among children and childcare workers and to model the efficacy of surveillance on viral spread prevention. Design, Setting, and Participants: This nonrandomized controlled trial was conducted at 9 day care centers in Wuerzburg, Germany, from October 2020 to March 2021. Participants included children attending day care, childcare workers, and household members. Participating day care centers were assigned to different surveillance modules in a nonrandomized feasibility study. A mathematical model for SARS-CoV-2 spread in day care centers was developed to identify optimal surveillance. Interventions: Modules 1, 2, and 3 involved continuous surveillance of asymptomatic children and childcare workers by SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testing of either midturbinate nasal swabs twice weekly (module 1) or once weekly (module 2) or self-sampled saliva samples twice weekly (module 3). Module 4 involved symptom-based, on-demand testing of children, childcare workers, and their household members by oropharyngeal swabs. All participants underwent SARS-CoV-2 antibody status testing before and after the sampling period. Questionnaires on attitudes and perception of the pandemic were administered in weeks 1, 6, and 12. Mathematical modeling was used to estimate SARS-CoV-2 spread in day care centers. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were acceptance of the respective surveillance protocols (feasibility study) and the estimated number of secondary infections (mathematical modeling). Results: Of 954 eligible individuals (772 children and 182 childcare workers), 592 (62%), including 442 children (median [IQR] age, 3 [2-4] years; 214 [48.6%] female) and 150 childcare workers (median [IQR] age, 29 [25-44] years; 129 [90.8%] female) participated in the surveillance. In total, 4755 tests for SARS-CoV-2 detected 2 infections (1 childcare worker and 1 adult household member). Acceptance for continuous surveillance was highest for biweekly saliva testing (150 of 221 eligible individuals [67.9%; 95% CI, 61.5%-73.7%]) compared with biweekly (51 of 117 individuals [43.6%; 95% CI, 35.0%-52.6%]) and weekly (44 of 128 individuals [34.4%; 95% CI, 26.7%-43.0%]) midturbinate swabbing (P < .001). Dropout rates were higher for midturbinate swabbing (biweekly, 11 of 62 participants [18%]; once weekly, 11 of 55 participants [20%]) than for saliva testing (6 of 156 participants [4%]). Mathematical modeling based on study and literature data identified biweekly testing of at least 50% of children and childcare workers as minimal requirements to limit secondary infections. Conclusions and Relevance: In this nonrandomized controlled trial, surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in 9 German day care centers was feasible and well accepted. Mathematical modeling estimated that testing can minimize the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in day care centers. These findings enable setup of surveillance programs to maintain institutional childcare. Trial Registration: German Registry for Clinical Trials Identifier: DRKS00023721.