Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Italy Using Real-World Data: Methodology and Cohort Description of the Second Phase of Web-Based EPICOVID19 Study

Fulvio Adorni, Nithiya Jesuthasan, Elena Perdixi, Aleksandra Sojic, Andrea Giacomelli, Marianna Noale, Caterina Trevisan, Michela Franchini, Stefania Pieroni, Liliana Cori, Claudio Maria Mastroianni, Fabrizio Bianchi, Raffaele Antonelli-Incalzi, Stefania Maggi, Massimo Galli, Federica Prinelli and on behalf of the EPICOVID19 Working Group
Additional contact information
Fulvio Adorni: National Research Council, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, Italy
Nithiya Jesuthasan: National Research Council, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, Italy
Elena Perdixi: National Research Council, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, Italy
Aleksandra Sojic: National Research Council, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, Italy
Andrea Giacomelli: Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco, Università di Milano, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy
Marianna Noale: National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Via Vincenzo Maria Gallucci 16, 35128 Padova, Italy
Caterina Trevisan: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
Michela Franchini: National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Stefania Pieroni: National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Liliana Cori: National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Claudio Maria Mastroianni: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Fabrizio Bianchi: National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Raffaele Antonelli-Incalzi: Unit of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Biomedical Campus of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Stefania Maggi: National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Via Vincenzo Maria Gallucci 16, 35128 Padova, Italy
Massimo Galli: Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco, Università di Milano, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy
Federica Prinelli: National Research Council, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, Italy
on behalf of the EPICOVID19 Working Group: Membership of the EPICOVID19 Working Group is provided in the Supplementary Material.

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Digital technologies have been extensively employed in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic worldwide. This study describes the methodology of the two-phase internet-based EPICOVID19 survey, and the characteristics of the adult volunteer respondents who lived in Italy during the first (April–May 2020) and the second wave (January–February 2021) of the epidemic. Validated scales and ad hoc questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic, medical and behavioural characteristics, as well as information on COVID-19. Among those who provided email addresses during phase I (105,355), 41,473 participated in phase II (mean age 50.7 years ± 13.5 SD, 60.6% females). After a median follow-up of ten months, 52.8% had undergone nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) testing and 13.2% had a positive result. More than 40% had undergone serological test (ST) and 11.9% were positive. Out of the 2073 participants with at least one positive ST, 72.8% had only negative results from NPS or never performed it. These results indicate that a large fraction of individuals remained undiagnosed, possibly contributing to the spread of the virus in the community. Participatory online surveys offer a unique opportunity to collect relevant data at individual level from large samples during confinement.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; testing; observational study; web-based survey; self-reported data; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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