Project Overview

Objective

To understand state and local case investigation and contact tracing implementation, people’s actions after being notified of COVID-19 infection or exposure, and case investigation and contact tracing programs’ ability to reach populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Project Motivation

This project seeks to learn from the experiences and behaviors of people affected by COVID-19 and health departments’ experiences implementing case investigation and contact tracing in order to inform future contact tracing efforts and other public health interventions.

Partners in Progress

  • National Academy for State Health Policy
  • Ipsos

Prepared For

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Evaluating the effectiveness of COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing, including a better understanding of the needs of groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19, can provide data-driven guidance to future efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and states.
Mathematica partnered with the National Academy for State Health Policy and Ipsos to help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evaluate state and local case investigation and contact tracing implementation, people’s actions after being notified of COVID-19 infection or exposure, and case investigation and contact tracing programs’ ability to reach populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The project was comprised of the following five studies:

Survey of people testing positive for COVID-19 or notified of exposure. We designed, administered, and analyzed a survey to better understand the experiences of people who tested positive for COVID-19 (cases) and those who were notified of potential exposure (contacts). Fielded with the Ipsos KnowledgePanel®, the survey featured a nationally representative sample of 22,514 of U.S. adults, 15,923 of which completed interviews. Of these, 9,269 met eligibility criteria and completed questions about actions taken after testing positive for COVID-19 or being informed of exposure to a case. 

Focus groups and interviews with community members. We also designed, implemented, and analyzed 33 focus groups and six one-on-one interviews with a total of 184 participants who self-identified as cases or contacts to better understand their experiences, including barriers to and facilitators for isolation and quarantine and their participation in case investigation and contact tracing. 
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Related Staff

Holly Matulewicz

Holly Matulewicz

Principal Survey Researcher

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Divya Vohra

Divya Vohra

Senior Researcher

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Geraldine Haile

Geraldine Haile

Senior Survey Researcher

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Colleen Staatz

Colleen Staatz

Researcher

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Cara Orfield

Cara Orfield

Senior Researcher

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Ruth Hsu

Ruth Hsu

Researcher

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