A Faithful Response to COVID-19 Project

The primary aim of this study is to conduct a two-arm clustered randomized controlled trial to fully test a multilevel, religiously-tailored African American church-based COVID19 testing and linkage to care (LTC) intervention (Tx) vs a nontailored multilevel, attention-control (AC) condition on COVID19 testing uptake (primary outcome) at 6 mos. LTC, contact tracing approval (CTA) and prevention behaviors (exploratory secondary outcomes) will also be examined with participants, adult African American church and community members. Churches will be matched on attendance size and denomination, and randomly assigned to Tx or AC. Previous HIV testing and diabetes prevention studies conducted in African American churches, whereby the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Socioecological Model will guide intervention design and delivery, will be adapted for this project. Using a community engaged approach, these models provide a theoretically-based, ecologically-expanded TBP framework for intervention delivery through multilevel church outlets to increase reach, dose, and impact. Sixteen churches (45 church members and 15 community members using outreach services per church; N= 960 total) have been project to be required to detect significant increases in testing.

Trained church health workers will deliver the Tx intervention during existing, multilevel church activities using a culturally-tailored COVID19 Tool Kit inclusive of digital tools consisting of: a) individual self-help materials and automated/tailored text messages; b) virtual supportive group seminars about COVID19; c) virtual/in-person church services with COVID19 related materials/activities (e.g., sermons, pastors modeling testing, testimonials, bulletins); and d) church-community level COVID19 testing and LTC services (e.g., healthcare, prevention programs, community resources, contact tracing) provided virtually by community health workers. All churches will host COVID19 testing events. First, a pilot study site will be used to test project feasibility followed by the 16 RCT faith-based study sites. Social, ethical, behavioral implications (SEBI) data will also be collected. All data will be made available to the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations (RADxUP) Data Consortium.

Specific Aims (SA):

SA 1. Test a tailored TPB-guided multilevel, COVID19 intervention against a nontailored AC arm on uptake of COVID19 testing, and LTC/CTA & prevention behaviors with African American church-populations at 6 months.

Hypothesis: The tailored, TPB testing/LTC intervention will attain higher testing rates than AC at 6 months.

SA 2. Evaluate roles of potential mediators and moderators related to COVID19 testing among church-affiliated African Americans at 6 months to determine modifiable facilitators/barriers.

SA 3. Conduct a process evaluation to understand study implementation facilitators, barriers, and fidelity; and examine relationships between implementation, intervention dose and exposure, and intervention outcomes to identify and improve essential intervention components.

Significance: This novel study is the first to fully test a COVID19 testing and LTC intervention in African American churches. It could provide a theory-based, multilevel model for delivering scalable, wide-reaching COVID19 testing and LTC by supporting African American faith leaders with culturally-appropriate, easy-to-use tools and health agency partnerships. It could have a major impact on uptake of COVID19 testing, inform on LTC and contact tracing, and streamline future vaccine delivery in African American communities hard hit by COVID19.

Inclusion criteria

• Participants will be eligible to participate if they are: a) self-identified as African American/Black; b) aged 18 or older; c) willing to participate in 2 surveys after church services, electronically, by phone, or in the study's office space; d) willing to provide contact information (i.e., two phone numbers, mailing/email address, phone numbers for two persons with whom they have ongoing contact; and e) regularly attend church (>once a month) or use church outreach services (e.g., daycare services, food programs) > 4 times/year. Exclusion criteria include: persons with plans to move from KC metro area over the next 12 months and non-English speaking/reading persons.

Exclusion criteria

• Living outside of the Kansas or Missouri geographical areas