SCALE-UP Counts: A Health Information Technology Approach to Increasing COVID-19 Testing in Elementary and Middle Schools Serving Disadvantaged Communities

Background: Few schools in Utah had information technology systems in place to support systematic communication with parents about student COVID-19 testing and tracking testing outcomes. This study addressed key testing challenges in schools by building on existing infrastructure and collaborations with school districts and the Utah Department of Health on COVID-19 testing.

Materials/Methods: This study worked closely with schools and the Utah public health system to implement and test a shovel-ready and scalable health information technology approach that delivered automated text messages (TMs) to staff and students' parents about COVID-19 testing. In addition, students in some schools received a health navigator (HN) follow-up to ensure that tests were completed. HNs were community members who had been trained in case management. Within the context of a cluster randomized trial, this study employed a rapid cycle design to test interventions on a small scale, using short time frames (< 1month) and iterative evaluation cycles to compare the efficacy of TM versus TM+HN.

Outcome/Impact: This study had impacts on COVID-19 testing for elementary and middle school students in disadvantaged school settings by increasing COVID-19 testing and reducing COVID-19 related health inequities among students and their families. The interventions were made readily available for adoption by other disadvantaged school settings and the data advanced population health and implementation science.