How COVID changed trust in VA care for Black and Latinx veterans
Official title: Disparities in Trust: COVID-19's Impact on Minority Veterans' Healthcare Experiences
Funded at VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System · NIH-11337238 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the COVID-19 pandemic affected Black and Latinx veterans' trust in and experiences with VA healthcare.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003479-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11337238 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Black and Latinx veterans who received VA healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic and are willing to share their care experiences.
✕Less likely to help
Non-veterans, veterans who did not receive VA care during the pandemic, or those from other racial/ethnic groups may not receive direct benefit from the study's findings.
What this research studies
From your perspective as a veteran, the team will ask Black and Latinx veterans about their VA care during and after the pandemic using surveys, interviews, and VA medical record information. They will compare those reports with White veterans' experiences to identify where trust weakened, including perceived discrimination and digital or access barriers such as telehealth and vaccination outreach. The researchers will connect veteran reports to changes in VA services during COVID to spot patterns. The goal is to turn those findings into practical recommendations for improving care and trust for minority veterans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to targeted changes in VA practices and communication that increase trust and reduce care disparities for minority veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has already shown lower trust and higher perceived discrimination among Black and Latinx veterans, and this project extends that work to the COVID-era healthcare changes.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zickmund, Susan L. — VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Zickmund, Susan L.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.