Table 3 Supporting quotes within each theme and COM-B domain

Capability

Symptom Severity

I had a lot of cough and I couldn’t speak…my wife just put [the tracer] on speaker and [I was] listening to [them] and she was answering for me. (Participant 10, Case)

P

I [isolated] almost three weeks ‘cause I was weak and my taste buds hadn’t quite got back yet…. I lost eight pounds and I was already thin… That was the hardest part. (Participant 2, Case)

I/Q

Essential Knowledge

I was surprised [to receive the call]. I didn’t expect that call at all…I didn’t know [contact tracing] was a thing. (Participant 4, Contact)

A

At first, I didn’t want to give the names [of my contacts], but then when they explained to me the reason why [it] was important to them… I answered the questions. (Participant 3, Contact who tested positive)

P

[I asked the tracers,] do I need two negative tests to stop self-isolation? And the [city’s tracers] said, yes, you should get retested and [the university] said they were not recommending retests. (Participant 12, Case)

T, I/Q

Opportunity

Structural Context

I answered [the contact tracing call] and I said [I was busy and] that they could call back in an hour. They never did. (Participant 24, Contact)

P

[My employers] are not supporting me or paying me either. Because I’m not working. They pay you when you work. (Participant 28, Case)

I/Q

The last week before I was better, I had to put a mask on and run to the closest store…because we had been running out of food. (Participant 16, Contact who tested COVID-positive)

I/Q

English for me is the second language. Sometimes you have words or little bits [that are difficult] to understand exactly what the person is talking about. (Participant 15, Contact)

P

It was hard to find a doctor… My family is not registered in any clinic. (Participant 25, Contact who tested positive)

I/Q

Interpersonal Ties

I started having symptoms again and my wife is also a nurse in my country…she said it was necessary to do the COVID test. (Participant 10, Case)

T

I told [my contacts about my positive test] …and then I told them they would probably be receiving a call [from the health department]. (Participant 12, Case)

A

I didn’t exactly give names and phone numbers, but I just said that it was my family… I [also] didn’t completely isolate myself because I have my kids. I was being very careful, right? (Participant 7, Case)

A, P, I/Q

Motivation

Symptom Severity

I went to the hospital the day after [symptom onset] to get the test… (Participant 9, Case)

T

Anticipated Outcomes

The reason I requested a test was because I wanted to make sure I would get adequate health care. I have ulcerative colitis. (Participant 13, Case)

T

What [my family] did was they went by my tests and figured they had the same thing ‘cause we were all together that Sunday [before I was diagnosed]. (Participant 2, Case)

T

My mom wasn’t happy with [the contact tracing calls which she didn’t answer]…she felt that a phone call wasn’t going to help her. She needed an actual doctor. (Participant 25, Contact who tested positive)

A

Trust in Authority

[My wife, a case,] was a little intimidated because, although it was explained how the information would be used, a potential fear she had was the information being manipulated somehow in terms of her personal life. (Participant 4, Contact)

P

When the phone rang, the number of the person and the name of the [health department] come on my tv screen. So I knew it wasn’t a scam….after [the tracer] hung up, I knew exactly what I had to do. I called my doctor and I told him. [He] put me on course, set me up with an appointment to get tested again. (Participant 17, Contact)

A, P, T

Emotional Responses

I have anxiety. I got overwhelmed. And I was like, “I can’t do it [the interview].” …I [first] felt the support, but then it became annoying because they [were] calling me almost every day. (Participant 19, Case)

P

It was almost like getting a phone call telling me I had AIDS… So everything for me is going to be like, you can’t do this, you can’t do that… So it was almost to the point where I could have cried when they told me because it was how people [were reacting] to it. (Participant 2, Case)

P

You get up in the morning and you look around, you go back and you wash. You try to make yourself a little something to eat. You open up the door and look out. You don’t go out the door. You just look out the door. You close the door and you walk around your apartment again and you’re saying, “what in the heck am I going to do today?” …On my second week of [quarantine], I said I know I have a backyard. I have some seeds. I’m gonna make myself a little small garden in my backyard. (Participant 17, Contact)

I/Q