NORFOLK, Va. — Sunday marks one year since the first COVID-19 case was reported in the Commonwealth. We all faced challenges, maybe a loss of income, adjusting to working from home and having your children learning virtually.
COVIDsmart, a digital health study designed to examine the many impacts of COVID-19 on individuals and their communities, launched with an open call for participation.
“Our hypothesis is that mental health and well-being have deteriorated in the past one year,” explained EVMS Professor of Internal Medicine, Dr. Sunita Dodani.
Health leaders want people to sign up for a virtual six months study. The research is open to all Virginians 18 and older.
Their goal is to get at least 10,000 people to sign up for the survey. Dodani said she wants to know how the COVID-19 pandemic played a big part in your life.
She explained, “It is very important in terms of understanding the health conditions, understanding the health disparities that may have widened due to COVID.”
The initiative is sponsored by EVMS-Sentara Healthcare Analytics and Delivery Science Institute, George Mason University and health technology company Vibrent Health. They are leading the initiative to gather information to help participants, researchers and public health entities better understand and address the impacts of the pandemic and future health crises.
“One of the valuable features of COVIDsmart is that participants can engage in the study virtually and remotely,” said Vibrent Health CEO Praduman “PJ” Jain. “Technology allows us to reach people wherever they are, so that everyone can have a voice and make an impact in this important health research.”
The study asks participants questions related to the pandemic and its impact on daily life--particularly its impact on financial, mental, and physical well-being.
Some of the questions include: “Over the past 30 days, has your consumption of alcohol increased, decreased, or remained the same?” and “How likely are you to want to receive COVID-19 vaccination?”
Dodani said, “There are 60% questions geared towards, for example, do you think your alcohol intake has increased? Do you think you are more stressed? Are you not sleeping?"
Leaders said COVIDsmart differs from other COVID-19 studies because it will show study data to participants, so they can see how the pandemic has impacted their community.
Dodani said the study will also provide participants with resources and information such as health and safety recommendations from government organizations to help them protect themselves and their communities from COVID-19.
Dodani wants this study to show the full picture of COVID-19’s impact. She urges people from all walks of life to take five minutes of their time and provide feedback.
“Diversity in COVID-19 research is essential for the public health decision-makers to accurately address disparities, such as infection rates, access to testing, health care, unemployment and availability of support services,” said Amira Roess, an epidemiologist and professor in the Department of Global and Community Health at George Mason University.
“Our goal with COVIDsmart is to gain and share knowledge that will aid public health organizations in giving guidance and dedicating resources that will help minimize the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and any other future health crises among individuals, their families and communities.”
To join the study, visit the COVIDsmart website.