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Responding to COVID-19


Pictured above are Mobile Health staff and volunteers ready to safely see patients on the unit.

 

The Center for Health Research (CHR) has responded to the global pandemic in a number of ways, from investigating the effects of social distancing to moving many studies online.

Researchers Study Health Outcomes of COVID Social Distancing Policies

While millions of Americans have been sheltering in place across the country to combat COVID-19, there is little information on how this change in activity and behavior could affect health outcomes and chronic disease especially for already at-risk groups including low-income populations. CHR investigators launched a national survey in April to answer these questions. They hope the nearly 3,000 survey responses so far will give them insight on how physical activity, food consumption and psychological factors are changing for Americans across the country. 

Under the direction of Todd Hagobian, CHR co-director and interim dean of research, the Center launched the nationwide online survey in April because of concern that the new mandates could result in reduced physical activity and increased food consumption and stress. Participants answered questions about their weight, behaviors and psychosocial status.

Three months later, participants were sent a follow-up survey to collect information on their physical activity and weight. Fifty percent of participants completed the follow-up survey, and Habogian plans to send similar surveys every three months for the next two years. He is currently applying for funding to continue following these participants. 

“Stay-at-home measures are likely to have more negative consequences for lower income individuals, whose opportunities for access to healthy food are already limited,” Hagobian said. “As a result, lower income individuals, already at higher risk for chronic disease, may experience greater changes in risk factors, including more rapid weight gain.” 

Other Research Projects Move Online

While researchers launched this new COVID study, other CHR studies have gone online. Already enrolled participants in many of the current studies are completing assessments and intervention visits on the phone and through video conferencing. Studies continue to recruit new participants using online only formats. The Mobile Health Unit provided telehealth services from March through the summer, but opened to patients again in October. Staff and researchers are following strict safety measures.

Presenters Sought for COVID-19 Conference in February

In February CHR will host a conference related to COVID-19. If you are conducting research related to COVID-19 and would like to present at the conference, please contact Suzanne Phelan at sphelan@calpoly.edu.

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