URMC / Public Health Sciences / Research / PHS COVID Research

PHS COVID Research

Contributing to Our Community

Modeling COVID surge. Starting in March 2020, URMC Public Health Sciences primary and secondary faculty including Drs. Dozier (Chair), Rich, Li and Jones have been leading hospitalization utilization modeling efforts for our community. This effort in collaboration with representatives from Rochester Regional Health System and Common Ground Health, a community regional planning agency, provided critical information to local health system and county leadership to understand potential demands.

Implementation of Community-Wide Symptom Surveillance: ROCCOVID.ORG. With the URMC Health Lab and partners Common Ground Health, Monroe County and Rochester Regional Health System, PHS Chair, Dr. Ann Dozier, has been co-leading a community surveillance effort called ROCCOVIC launched on May 7, 2020. Other PHS faculty including Drs. Rich, Li, Seplaki and vanWijgaarden variously participate in and lead various components of the analytics component.

Modeling of impact on higher education. The above faculty, led by Dr. Seplaki, are also involved with providing public health modeling expertise to the larger campus to assess various scenarios for the return of students in Fall 2020.

Pre-screening clinics. Dr. Fernandez, through her leadership role in the Latino Health Coalition is participating in these clinics is to identify AA and Latinos with early symptoms of COVID-19 to refer them to health clinics for testing and further clinical evaluation.

Geriatrics high-need/high-risk (HNHR) risk score. Dr. Intrator contributed to this VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention dashboard called SPPRITE for suicide prevention that focuses on COVID patients. HNHR is an important component for older Veterans, and especially those infected with COVID-19.

COVID-19 Science and Care. Dr. Seplaki developed a lecture “History of Pandemics and Vaccination” for this new medical student elective module developed by Dr. Peyre.

Contributing to Research and Scholarship

12 PHS faculty are involved with grant submissions either as PI or co-investigators, many leveraging off of their existing funding to apply for supplements.

Funding is being sought from several different NIH Institutes including Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Aging (NIA), and National Cancer Institute (NCI ). Other federal funders include Agency for Healthcare Quality (AHRQ), Veterans Administration and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), Air Force. The American Heart Association is another national funder.

New York State based funding is being sought from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Mother Cabrini Foundation.

Sample of the Titles

Use of data from GetWithTheGuidelines and EHR to Investigate Cardiovascular disease outcomes in those infected with COVID-19 (Block)
Factors associated with hospitalization, ICU use and death among vulnerable populations diagnosed with COVID-19 (Cai)
Supporting Engagement in and Dissemination of PCOR/CER in the Context of COVID-19 (Alio, Dozier)
Community Factors of Excess Mortality in the Time of COVID (Hill)
Correcting Death Data for Under-Reporting of COVID-19 (Hill)
Changes in PM composition in NYS & triggering of acute cardiorespiratory events (Hopke)
Air pollution exposure during pregnancy and impacts on placenta development and function (Hopke)
The impact of COVID-19 on older Veteran Advanced Care Planning (ACP) Intrator)
Impact of public reporting on COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 outcomes among nursing home residents (Li)
Tobacco Use/Exposure/Beliefs Related to COVID-19: A US mTurk Survey (Ossip)
Tobacco Use/Exposure/Beliefs Related to COVID-19: A NYS Survey (Ossip)
Silicon nanomembranes as re-usable filters for PPE stockpiles (Rich)
SARS CoV2 infection in children, immune function and their role in transmission (Rich)
Triggering of COVID-19 by ambient air pollution, and potential mediation by innate immune pathways (Rich; Hopke)
Patient Safety and COVID-19 Outcomes in Assisted Living Communities: Provider and State Pandemic Responsiveness. (Temkin-Greener)
Development & Dissemination of Evidence (ENCODE); a pragmatic RCT of targeted dissemination of evidence-based community-adapted messages in empowering vulnerable communities in response to COVID19 (Yousefi Nooraie)

Scholarly Work

In STAT: Social distancing merely stabilized COVID-19 in the US (Dr. Elaine Hill, co-author)

McCormack WT, Bredella MA, Ingbar DH, Jackson RD, Meagher EA, Morris CD, Nagel JD, Pusek S, Rubio DM, Sandberg K, Schnaper HW, Tsevat J, Umans JG, McIntosh S. Immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CTSA TL1 and KL2 training and career development. J Clin Transl Sci. 2020 Jun 29;4(6):556-561. doi: 10.1017/cts.2020.504. PMID: 33942017; PMCID: PMC7605410.

Rodríguez-Bolaños R, Cartujano-Barrera F, Cartujano B, Flores YN, Cupertino AP, Gallegos-Carrillo K. The Urgent Need to Address Violence Against Health Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Med Care. 2020 Jul;58(7):663. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001365. PMID: 32520840; PMCID: PMC7314357.

Orlando O. Harris, PhD, RN, MPH, FNP*, Natalie Leblanc, PhD, MPH, RN, Kara McGee, DMS, MSPH, PA-C, AAHIVS, Schenita Randolph, PhD, MPH, RN, CNE, Mitchell J. Wharton, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CNS, Michael Relf, PhD, RN, AACRN, ANEF, FAAN. Alarm at the Gate—Health and Social Inequalities are Comorbid Conditions of HIV and COVID-19.

Li Y, Cheng Z, Cai X, Mao Y, Temkin-Greener H. State social distancing restrictions and nursing home outcomes. Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 20;12(1):1058. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-05011-6. PMID: 35058532; PMCID: PMC8776882.

Nooraie RY, Shelton RC, Fiscella K, Kwan BM, McMahon JM. The pragmatic, rapid, and iterative dissemination & implementation (PRIDI) cycle: Adapting to the dynamic nature of public health emergencies. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2021 Feb 9:rs.3.rs-188929. Update in: Health Res Policy Syst. 2021 Aug 4;19(1):110. PMID: 33594352; PMCID: PMC7885924.

Yousefi Nooraie R, Warren K, Juckett LA, Cao QA, Bunger AC, Patak-Pietrafesa MA. Individual- and group-level network-building interventions to address social isolation and loneliness: A scoping review with implications for COVID19. PLoS One. 2021 Jun 25;16(6):e0253734. PMID: 34170980; PMCID: PMC8232435.

Guo W, Li Y, Temkin-Greener H. COVID-19 in Assisted Living Communities: Neighborhood Deprivation and State Social Distancing Policies Matter. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022 Feb 22:1-18. doi: 10.1017/ice.2022.46. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35189992.

Li Y, Temkin-Greener H, Shan G, Cai X. COVID-19 Infections and Deaths among Connecticut Nursing Home Residents: Facility Correlates. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2020 Sep;68(9):1899-1906. PMID: 32557542; PMCID: PMC7323378.

Li Y, Cheng Z, Cai X, Mao Y, Temkin-Greener H. Association of state social distancing restrictions with nursing home COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 outcomes. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Feb 11:2021.02.08.21251382. doi: 10.1101/2021.02.08.21251382. PMID: 33594372; PMCID: PMC7885931.

Cheung B, Hwang J, Stolarczyk A, Mahlof EN, Block RC. Case study of hypertriglyceridemia from COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination in a patient with familial hypercholesteremia. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021 Sep;25(17):5525-5528. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202109_26664. PMID: 34533798.

Cai S, Yan D, Intrator O. COVID-19 Cases and Death in Nursing Homes: The Role of Racial and Ethnic Composition of Facilities and Their Communities. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2021 Jul;22(7):1345-1351. PMID: 34062147; PMCID: PMC8106906.

Li Y, Cen X, Cai X, Temkin-Greener H. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Infections and Deaths Across U.S. Nursing Homes. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2020 Nov;68(11):2454-2461. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16847. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 32955105; PMCID: PMC7537079.

Li Y, Cai X, Mao Y, Cheng Z, Temkin-Greener H. Trends in racial and ethnic disparities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes among nursing home residents. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Jun 16:1-7. doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.246. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34130766; PMCID: PMC8220019.

Temkin-Greener H, Guo W, Mao Y, Cai X, Li Y. COVID-19 Pandemic in Assisted Living Communities: Results from Seven States. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2020 Dec;68(12):2727-2734. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16850. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 32955107; PMCID: PMC7537218.

White AM, Li D, Snell LM, O'Connor R, Hoetger C, Croft D, Lester RC, McIntosh S, Underwood M, Schneller L, Breland A, Barnes AJ, Cobb CO, Ossip DJ. Perceptions of Tobacco Product-Specific COVID-19 Risk and Changes in Tobacco Use Behaviors Among Smokers, E-Cigarette Users, and Dual Users. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 Aug 18;23(9):1617-1622. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntab053. PMID: 33782707; PMCID: PMC8083727.

Wang Y, Liu Y. Multilevel determinants of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in the United States: a rapid systematic review. Prev Med Rep. 2021 Dec 16;25:101673. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101673. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34934611; PMCID: PMC8675390.

Santoso M, Hopke PK, Permadi DA, Damastuti E, Lestiani DD, Kurniawati S, Khoerotunnisya D, Sukir SK. Multiple Air Quality Monitoring Evidence of the Impacts of Large-scale Social Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jakarta, Indonesia. Aerosol and Air Quality Research. 2021; 21:200645.

Machine Learning Model From the Largest US COVID-19 Dataset Predicts Disease Severity - Tuesday, July 13, 2021 - Researchers are using the resource to run studies that they may not have been able to tackle with just their own institution’s resources, says Elaine Hill, an associate professor of public health sciences, of economics, and of obstetrics and gynecology. “It makes it possible to shed light on things we wouldn’t be able to.” Read More: Machine Learning Model From the Largest US COVID-19 Dataset Predicts Disease Severity

Li D, Croft DP, Ossip DJ, Xie Z. The association between statewide vaping prevalence and COVID-19. Prev Med Rep. 2020 Dec;20:101254. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101254. Epub 2020 Nov 25. PMID: 33257909; PMCID: PMC7687362.

Li D, Croft DP, Ossip DJ, Xie Z. Are Vapers More Susceptible to COVID-19 Infection? medRxiv [Preprint]. 2020 May 9:2020.05.05.20092379. doi: 10.1101/2020.05.05.20092379. PMID: 32511560; PMCID: PMC7274241.

Xu H, Intrator O, Bowblis JR. Shortages of Staff in Nursing Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What are the Driving Factors? J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2020 Oct;21(10):1371-1377. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2020.08.002. Epub 2020 Aug 11. PMID: 32981663; PMCID: PMC7418696.

Rudolph JL, Hartronft S, McConeghy K, Kennedy M, Intrator O, Minor L, Hubert TL, Goldstein MK. Proportion of SARS-CoV-2 positive tests and vaccination in Veterans Affairs Community Living Centers. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2021 Aug;69(8):2090-2095. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17180. Epub 2021 May 4. PMID: 33861871; PMCID: PMC8250473.

Dye TD, Barbosu M, Siddiqi S, Pérez Ramos JG, Murphy H, Alcántara L, Pressman E. Science, healthcare system, and government effectiveness perception and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance and hesitancy in a global sample: an analytical cross-sectional analysis. BMJ Open. 2021 Nov 23;11(11):e049716. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049716. PMID: 34815278; PMCID: PMC8611238.

Bennett TD, Moffitt RA, Hajagos JG, Amor B, Anand A, Bissell MM, Bradwell KR, Bremer C, Byrd JB, Denham A, DeWitt PE, Gabriel D, Garibaldi BT, Girvin AT, Guinney J, Hill EL, Hong SS, Jimenez H, Kavuluru R, Kostka K, Lehmann HP, Levitt E, Mallipattu SK, Manna A, McMurry JA, Morris M, Muschelli J, Neumann AJ, Palchuk MB, Pfaff ER, Qian Z, Qureshi N, Russell S, Spratt H, Walden A, Williams AE, Wooldridge JT, Yoo YJ, Zhang XT, Zhu RL, Austin CP, Saltz JH, Gersing KR, Haendel MA, Chute CG. The National COVID Cohort Collaborative: Clinical Characterization and Early Severity Prediction. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Jan 23:2021.01.12.21249511. doi: 10.1101/2021.01.12.21249511. Update in: JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2116901. PMID: 33469592; PMCID: PMC7814838.

Wagner AB, Hill EL, Ryan SE, Sun Z, Deng G, Bhadane S, Martinez VH, Wu P, Li D, Anand A, Acharya J, Matteson DS. Social distancing merely stabilized COVID-19 in the US. Stat (Int Stat Inst). 2020 Jul 13:e302. doi: 10.1002/sta4.302. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32837718; PMCID: PMC7404665.

Bennett TD, Moffitt RA, Hajagos JG, Amor B, Anand A, Bissell MM, Bradwell KR, Bremer C, Byrd JB, Denham A, DeWitt PE, Gabriel D, Garibaldi BT, Girvin AT, Guinney J, Hill EL, Hong SS, Jimenez H, Kavuluru R, Kostka K, Lehmann HP, Levitt E, Mallipattu SK, Manna A, McMurry JA, Morris M, Muschelli J, Neumann AJ, Palchuk MB, Pfaff ER, Qian Z, Qureshi N, Russell S, Spratt H, Walden A, Williams AE, Wooldridge JT, Yoo YJ, Zhang XT, Zhu RL, Austin CP, Saltz JH, Gersing KR, Haendel MA, Chute CG; National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) Consortium. Clinical Characterization and Prediction of Clinical Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among US Adults Using Data From the US National COVID Cohort Collaborative. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2116901. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.16901. PMID: 34255046; PMCID: PMC8278272.

Under Review

It is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19 (Dr. Phillip Hopke, co-author)