Back to school: a qualitative study evaluating a community-informed COVID-19 risk communication intervention for rural elementary school children and their families.

Abstract

Background: ReOpening Schools Safely and Educating Youth (ROSSEY) was a cluster randomized controlled trial of a risk communication intervention for COVID-19 prevention to promote safe return to school among students in a rural, agricultural community.

Purpose: This qualitative study evaluated the implementation of a risk communication intervention and a school district's COVID-19 testing program through parent focus groups and interviews with school staff and students.

Methods: Parents (n = 37), students (n = 19), and school staff (n = 14) from seven schools that received the intervention shared their experience via focus groups and interviews informed by the RE-AIM framework. Deductive and inductive coding was conducted by four data analysts. Themes were validated with community members.

Results: Parent focus groups, student and staff interviews provided insight into the ROSSEY study implementation. We identified five main themes: (i) social and financial drivers of participation; (ii) personal beliefs and unique challenges to research participation; (iii) intervention reinforced knowledge and shifted behavior; (iv) the appeal of comic books and videos supported adoption; and (v) multimodal communication and partnerships enhanced implementation.

Conclusions: The risk communication intervention was deemed culturally appropriate, reinforced previous knowledge, and encouraged adoption of preventive behaviors. The partnership with the school district and collaboration with the district's COVID-19 testing program ensured success of recruitment, study implementation, and adoption of preventive behaviors.