Understanding long COVID (PASC) patterns and care gaps for Veterans
Official title: COvid Post-Exposure Evaluation and Symptomatology (COPES) Center: Identifying Post-COVID Phenotypes and Related Health Inequities
Funded at VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System · NIH-11311366 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for common long COVID symptoms and care differences to help Veterans who had COVID-19 get better, timelier care.
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 | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003668-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11311366 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans with a history of COVID-19 infection, especially those with ongoing symptoms weeks to months after their infection, are the primary group who could be involved or affected by this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without prior COVID-19 infection, patients whose symptoms are clearly due to another diagnosis, or non‑Veterans are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific VA-focused effort.
What this research studies
This project uses VA medical records and diagnosis codes to identify groups of Veterans who share similar long COVID symptoms and health needs. Researchers will combine electronic health record data, coded diagnoses, and other VA data sources to define PASC (post‑COVID conditions) and find patterns of who is most affected. The team will also examine whether historically underserved Veterans experience different symptoms, delays in care, or worse outcomes. The goal is to use these findings to guide better, evidence-based care for Veterans with persistent post-COVID problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify what long COVID looks like and help target treatments and services so Veterans get timely, effective care.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has identified long COVID patterns but clear, widely accepted definitions and evidence-based treatments remain limited, so this work builds on emerging but incomplete findings.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mohanty, April F — VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Mohanty, April F
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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.