Understanding how COVID-19 care changes affected veterans with chronic conditions
Official title: Examining linkages between disrupted care and chronic disease outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a VAMC level spatio-temporal analysis
Funded at Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center · NIH-11142384 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how changes in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic affected veterans with long-term health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003577-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11142384 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project focuses on understanding the experiences of veterans with chronic conditions such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension who received care at VA Medical Centers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not veterans or who do not have chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension would not directly benefit from the findings of this specific analysis.
What this research studies
We want to understand the lasting effects of healthcare disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic on veterans, who often face more health challenges. By looking at information from VA Medical Centers across the country, we hope to learn how these disruptions impacted chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. This work will help us identify veterans who might be at higher risk and find ways to improve their care, especially for conditions that can lead to serious problems like stroke or heart disease. Our goal is to make sure veterans get the primary care they need and to reduce health differences that may have worsened during the pandemic.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better primary care strategies and targeted support for veterans with chronic diseases, helping to prevent serious health complications.
How similar studies have gone: While this specific analysis is novel in its scope and focus on VAMC-level spatio-temporal data, other studies have shown that healthcare disruptions can negatively impact chronic disease management.
Where this research is happening
-
Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hunt, Kelly J — Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Hunt, Kelly J
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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.