Acceptability and feasibility of self-organized blood sample collection for SARS-CoV-2 antibody screening in persons with a high risk for a severe COVID-19 disease progression

Dominik Schröder, Alexandra Dopfer-Jablonka, Frank Klawonn, Frank Müller, Stephanie Heinemann

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, acceptability, feasibility, blood sample

Background:
The pandemic situation poses new challenges for research. Ethical issues might arise if especially vulnerable individuals expose themselves to a higher risk of infection for study purposes.

Research questions:
How is the feasibility, quality and acceptance of self-organized blood sample collections to measure anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG antibodies in persons with a high risk for a severe COVID-19 disease progression?

Method:
Persons with a high risk for a severe COVID-19 disease progression (immunocompromised, oncology or 80+ years) were recruited between January and September 2021 to send in blood samples (2.6 ml, 7.5 ml or 500 µl EDTA tubes) 1 month and 6 months after second COVID-19 vaccination. Participants were given the choice of drawing blood themselves (as capillary blood), through the research team, or in local practices or clinics. Participants were surveyed via a computer-assisted telephone interview in December 2021 and January 2022 about their choice of blood sampling methods, experiences and influence of choice upon study participation.

Results:
Data from 366 participants was collected via telephone follow-up. First blood samples were collected by the participants themselves (35.8%), local practices or clinics (32.0%) and the research team (22.7%). Second blood samples were mostly collected in local practices or clinics (43.7%) followed by participants themselves (32.5%) and the research team (14.3%). Only 3.3% of blood samples were not send back or were not analyzable. One-fourth (26%) of participants stated that they would not have participated in the study if it would have been required to travel to the university hospital to give their blood sample.

Conclusions:
Participants were able to self-organize blood collection, making use of several different blood sample methods. Nearly all blood samples were analyzable when self-collected and send in by post. One-fourth of the participants would not have participated in the study if required to give their blood sample in the study location.

Points for discussion:
Pandemic situation as a challenge in the recruitment of study participants

Experiences with self-organized blood collection in a study setting