Short Report: The influence of congregate setting on positive COVID-19 tests among a high-risk sample of adults with intellectual and developmental disability in Ontario.
Rebecca Hansford, Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz, Lynn Martin
PMID 35063714WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in group homes had almost five times the odds of testing positive for COVID-19 compared to those in private settings.
Older age, limited mobility, and aggression were also independent risk factors, with heightened risk appearing as early as age 45.
Key findings
01Living in a congregate setting was associated with almost five times the odds of testing positive for COVID-19 compared to private or assisted living.
02Increased odds of testing positive were associated with limited mobility (2.3 times) and aggression (1.7 times).
03The increased risk of testing positive was present starting at age 45, which is much younger than the general population or long-term care residents.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study treated untested individuals as negative, which could introduce bias if some untested individuals were actually positive. Assessments for some participants occurred before the pandemic, so clinical characteristics like mobility or aggression may have changed by the time of the COVID-19 test. The study could not account for the size of the congregate settings or crowding levels (e.g., number of residents per room), which are likely important factors in transmission risk. The sample was drawn from a single metropolitan region in Ontario, which may limit generalizability to other regions or populations.
Declared interests
The authors report no declarations of interest. No funding was received for conducting this study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that living in a group home is the only risk factor; age, mobility, and aggression were also independent predictors. Additionally, the association between congregate settings and positive tests was stronger in the full sample (including untested individuals) than in the tested subgroup, suggesting that including untested individuals as negatives may have inflated the effect size.