School Absenteeism as a Marker for Community COVID-19 Rates

Abstract Background Reported community transmission rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may not be accurate, particularly since at-home testing has become widely available. School absenteeism may serve as a marker of broader community COVID-19 transmission. Methods We performed an observati...

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Published in:Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 2023-12, Vol.12 (Supplement_2), p.S9-S13
Main Authors: Stark, Ashley, Benjamin, Daniel K, Kajencki, Anthony, Mann, Katelyn, Rodriguez, Natalie, Troan, Ian, Hill, Larry, Boutzoukas, Angelique E, Zimmerman, Kanecia O
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container_issue Supplement_2
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container_title Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
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creator Stark, Ashley
Benjamin, Daniel K
Kajencki, Anthony
Mann, Katelyn
Rodriguez, Natalie
Troan, Ian
Hill, Larry
Boutzoukas, Angelique E
Zimmerman, Kanecia O
description Abstract Background Reported community transmission rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may not be accurate, particularly since at-home testing has become widely available. School absenteeism may serve as a marker of broader community COVID-19 transmission. Methods We performed an observational study of North Carolina kindergarten through 12th grade schools participating in the ABC Science Collaborative that offered in-school instruction, and contributed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 data for at least 2 of 4 weeks monthly for the 2021–2022 academic year. Additionally, we analyzed publicly available databases including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Data Repository, and National Center for Education Statistics. We described community and school COVID-19 infection rates compared with student monthly absenteeism rates to determine if the relationship between community COVID-19 infection rates and student absenteeism varied over time. Results We included 500 192 students from 27 school districts. For the 2021–2022 academic year, the student and community COVID-19 infection rates did not show a significant difference (P > .05) across each month of comparison. Student absenteeism rates and community COVID-19 infection rates by month showed a similar trend across the academic year. For every 1% increase in community infection percentage, we found a 1.68% (1.12–2.25%) increase in absenteeism (P 
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School absenteeism may serve as a marker of broader community COVID-19 transmission. Methods We performed an observational study of North Carolina kindergarten through 12th grade schools participating in the ABC Science Collaborative that offered in-school instruction, and contributed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 data for at least 2 of 4 weeks monthly for the 2021–2022 academic year. Additionally, we analyzed publicly available databases including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Data Repository, and National Center for Education Statistics. We described community and school COVID-19 infection rates compared with student monthly absenteeism rates to determine if the relationship between community COVID-19 infection rates and student absenteeism varied over time. Results We included 500 192 students from 27 school districts. For the 2021–2022 academic year, the student and community COVID-19 infection rates did not show a significant difference (P &gt; .05) across each month of comparison. Student absenteeism rates and community COVID-19 infection rates by month showed a similar trend across the academic year. For every 1% increase in community infection percentage, we found a 1.68% (1.12–2.25%) increase in absenteeism (P &lt; .001); for every 1 month change in time, we found a 0.12% (0.01–0.24%) increase in absenteeism (P &lt; .05). Conclusions Student absenteeism and infection rates may be a useful marker of COVID-19 community infection rates when testing frequency and results reporting are inconsistent. We studied 500 192 students from 27 school districts in North Carolina (2021–2022 academic year) and found that student absenteeism rates paralleled with community COVID-19 infection rates; therefore, student absenteeism may be a useful marker of COVID-19 community infection rates.</description><identifier>ISSN: 2048-7207</identifier><identifier>EISSN: 2048-7207</identifier><identifier>DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piad072</identifier><identifier>PMID: 38146857</identifier><language>eng</language><publisher>US: Oxford University Press</publisher><ispartof>Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, 2023-12, Vol.12 (Supplement_2), p.S9-S13</ispartof><rights>The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. 2023</rights><rights>The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.</rights><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-c282t-7fa47205cb9b96f391383e6d3a7d0f28b3a79f6ae5d5f3740d73eb783921b8e33</cites></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><link.rule.ids>314,780,784,27924,27925</link.rule.ids><backlink>$$Uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38146857$$D View this record in MEDLINE/PubMed$$Hfree_for_read</backlink></links><search><creatorcontrib>Stark, Ashley</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Benjamin, Daniel K</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Kajencki, Anthony</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Mann, Katelyn</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Rodriguez, Natalie</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Troan, Ian</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Hill, Larry</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Boutzoukas, Angelique E</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Zimmerman, Kanecia O</creatorcontrib><title>School Absenteeism as a Marker for Community COVID-19 Rates</title><title>Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society</title><addtitle>J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc</addtitle><description>Abstract Background Reported community transmission rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may not be accurate, particularly since at-home testing has become widely available. School absenteeism may serve as a marker of broader community COVID-19 transmission. Methods We performed an observational study of North Carolina kindergarten through 12th grade schools participating in the ABC Science Collaborative that offered in-school instruction, and contributed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 data for at least 2 of 4 weeks monthly for the 2021–2022 academic year. Additionally, we analyzed publicly available databases including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Data Repository, and National Center for Education Statistics. We described community and school COVID-19 infection rates compared with student monthly absenteeism rates to determine if the relationship between community COVID-19 infection rates and student absenteeism varied over time. Results We included 500 192 students from 27 school districts. For the 2021–2022 academic year, the student and community COVID-19 infection rates did not show a significant difference (P &gt; .05) across each month of comparison. Student absenteeism rates and community COVID-19 infection rates by month showed a similar trend across the academic year. For every 1% increase in community infection percentage, we found a 1.68% (1.12–2.25%) increase in absenteeism (P &lt; .001); for every 1 month change in time, we found a 0.12% (0.01–0.24%) increase in absenteeism (P &lt; .05). Conclusions Student absenteeism and infection rates may be a useful marker of COVID-19 community infection rates when testing frequency and results reporting are inconsistent. We studied 500 192 students from 27 school districts in North Carolina (2021–2022 academic year) and found that student absenteeism rates paralleled with community COVID-19 infection rates; therefore, student absenteeism may be a useful marker of COVID-19 community infection rates.</description><issn>2048-7207</issn><issn>2048-7207</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2023</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><recordid>eNqFkDtPwzAURi0Eoqh0ZEUeWUL9SGJbTFV4VSqqxGuNnPhapCR1sJOh_56UlsfGXe43HH336iB0RsklJYpPV21lwrSttCGCHaATRmIZCUbE4Z88QpMQVmSYNKGJjI_RiEsapzIRJ-jqqXxzrsazIsC6A6hCg3XAGj9o_w4eW-dx5pqmX1fdBmfL1_l1RBV-1B2EU3RkdR1gst9j9HJ785zdR4vl3TybLaKSSdZFwup4-CMpC1Wo1HJFueSQGq6FIZbJYgjKphoSk1guYmIEh0JIrhgtJHA-Rhe73ta7jx5ClzdVKKGu9RpcH3KmSEoloWyLRju09C4EDzZvfdVov8kpybfK8i9l-V7ZwJ_vq_uiAfNDfwv6ve369p-uT0CidFA</recordid><startdate>20231226</startdate><enddate>20231226</enddate><creator>Stark, Ashley</creator><creator>Benjamin, Daniel K</creator><creator>Kajencki, Anthony</creator><creator>Mann, Katelyn</creator><creator>Rodriguez, Natalie</creator><creator>Troan, Ian</creator><creator>Hill, Larry</creator><creator>Boutzoukas, Angelique E</creator><creator>Zimmerman, Kanecia O</creator><general>Oxford University Press</general><scope>NPM</scope><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>7X8</scope></search><sort><creationdate>20231226</creationdate><title>School Absenteeism as a Marker for Community COVID-19 Rates</title><author>Stark, Ashley ; Benjamin, Daniel K ; Kajencki, Anthony ; Mann, Katelyn ; Rodriguez, Natalie ; Troan, Ian ; Hill, Larry ; Boutzoukas, Angelique E ; Zimmerman, Kanecia O</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c282t-7fa47205cb9b96f391383e6d3a7d0f28b3a79f6ae5d5f3740d73eb783921b8e33</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2023</creationdate><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Stark, Ashley</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Benjamin, Daniel K</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Kajencki, Anthony</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Mann, Katelyn</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Rodriguez, Natalie</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Troan, Ian</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Hill, Larry</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Boutzoukas, Angelique E</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Zimmerman, Kanecia O</creatorcontrib><collection>PubMed</collection><collection>CrossRef</collection><collection>MEDLINE - Academic</collection><jtitle>Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society</jtitle></facets><delivery><delcategory>Remote Search Resource</delcategory><fulltext>fulltext</fulltext></delivery><addata><au>Stark, Ashley</au><au>Benjamin, Daniel K</au><au>Kajencki, Anthony</au><au>Mann, Katelyn</au><au>Rodriguez, Natalie</au><au>Troan, Ian</au><au>Hill, Larry</au><au>Boutzoukas, Angelique E</au><au>Zimmerman, Kanecia O</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><atitle>School Absenteeism as a Marker for Community COVID-19 Rates</atitle><jtitle>Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society</jtitle><addtitle>J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc</addtitle><date>2023-12-26</date><risdate>2023</risdate><volume>12</volume><issue>Supplement_2</issue><spage>S9</spage><epage>S13</epage><pages>S9-S13</pages><issn>2048-7207</issn><eissn>2048-7207</eissn><abstract>Abstract Background Reported community transmission rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may not be accurate, particularly since at-home testing has become widely available. School absenteeism may serve as a marker of broader community COVID-19 transmission. Methods We performed an observational study of North Carolina kindergarten through 12th grade schools participating in the ABC Science Collaborative that offered in-school instruction, and contributed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 data for at least 2 of 4 weeks monthly for the 2021–2022 academic year. Additionally, we analyzed publicly available databases including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Data Repository, and National Center for Education Statistics. We described community and school COVID-19 infection rates compared with student monthly absenteeism rates to determine if the relationship between community COVID-19 infection rates and student absenteeism varied over time. Results We included 500 192 students from 27 school districts. For the 2021–2022 academic year, the student and community COVID-19 infection rates did not show a significant difference (P &gt; .05) across each month of comparison. Student absenteeism rates and community COVID-19 infection rates by month showed a similar trend across the academic year. For every 1% increase in community infection percentage, we found a 1.68% (1.12–2.25%) increase in absenteeism (P &lt; .001); for every 1 month change in time, we found a 0.12% (0.01–0.24%) increase in absenteeism (P &lt; .05). Conclusions Student absenteeism and infection rates may be a useful marker of COVID-19 community infection rates when testing frequency and results reporting are inconsistent. We studied 500 192 students from 27 school districts in North Carolina (2021–2022 academic year) and found that student absenteeism rates paralleled with community COVID-19 infection rates; therefore, student absenteeism may be a useful marker of COVID-19 community infection rates.</abstract><cop>US</cop><pub>Oxford University Press</pub><pmid>38146857</pmid><doi>10.1093/jpids/piad072</doi></addata></record>
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