NORC’s Role in Collecting Data to Track COVID-19 Spread and Health Behaviors

NORC at the University of Chicago helped the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Public Health collect data to learn how pervasively the coronavirus had spread into the state and track health behaviors, including vaccination status.

Conducting a Statewide Study: Round One

In Round One (December 2020 - February 2021), NORC drew from a previous list of study respondents from the Data Foundation’s COVID Impact Study and re-contacted repondents for consent to mail and complete a capillary blood collection kit. Upon consent, at-home collection kits with instructions to self-collect and return a blood sample taken via finger prick were mailed to respondents. The kits were sent to a partner lab and analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Participants received a gift card as well as their test results.

Expanding the Study: Round Two

In Round Two (September 2021 - January 2022) NORC re-contacted Round One respondents and expanded the sample to include household members age 6 and older. Round One respondents and adult household members (age 18 and over) were asked to complete a survey of health behaviors, vaccination status, and vaccination attitudes and received an incentive upon completion. All respondents, age 6 and older, were invited to provide a capillary blood sample collected via fingerprint and analyzed for COVID-19 antibodies. All respondents received antbody test results as well as incentive for completing the capillary blood collection.