WP 5 : Research Methodologies to Assess the Impact of COVID-19

PHIRI RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 - ONE PAGER

Objectives

The aim of this work package is to support European countries to understand the impact of COVID-19 on population well-being and health, morbidity and mortality using a multidisciplinary approach in order to be better prepared for current and future crises.The specific objectives of the WP are:

• To map and synthesize the methodologies, determinants and risk settings on well-being mortality, morbidity and mortality across European countries at subnational, national and European level
• To identify useful innovative promotion, prevention and care indicators and methods to characterize the effects of COVID-19
• To gather information on indicators and their variability, used by different countries and other international organisations to measure the effects if COVID-19 and propose harmonization
• To synthesize research and data pathways for analyzing the impact of COVID-19

Task 5.1: COVID-19 impact indicators and methodologies

This task aims to provide a systematic literature review on the published articles and reports on COVID-19 impacts up to the moment of the start of the project (November 2020) and to propose measures to alleviate or minimize the identified methodological problems. More specifically this task is:

• Mapping the different research methodologies that countries have been using to monitor the impact of COVID-19
• Identifying methodological issues and indicators of direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 and future crises, including economic and social impacts on health and well-being, as well as collateral damage to the medical care of non-COVID-19 patients
• Synthesising research and data pathways for analysing impact of COVID-19

Please find this task's one pager here. 

Task 5.2: Exploring the determinants of the severity of long-term health outcomes of SARS-COV2 infection

This task aims at studying the respective effects of demographic variables (age, social position), life style, morbidities and frailty on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the consequent severity of long-term health outcomes. This is being achieved by performing literature reviews on all the mentioned determinants.

Task 5.3: Efficacy of new digital tools for COVID-19 contact tracing and assessment of its impact on health and social behaviors

This task aims at identifying digital tools for contact tracing of COVID-19 patients and summarizing the available evidence regarding the effectiveness and impact of these tools in the European context.  Key considerations on the role of legislative and ethical aspects will also be examined to provide context-relevant recommendations, facilitating innovation uptake and diffusion.

• Innovative approaches for health impact assessment in Europe: the role of digital tools and emerging devices (D5.3)

Task 5.4: Capacity building exercises on COVID-19 impact assessment

This task develops European trainings on methodological calculations of COVID-19 impacts for better integration of research and policy. 

• COVID-19 Burden of Disease Training School - in collaboration with the European Burden of Disease Network
  • measuring premature mortality (years of life lost; YLL);
  • morbidity due to COVID-19 (years lived with disability; YLD);
  • attributable burden of comorbidities to COVID and
  • prevention strategies and will be based on the identified indicators in Task 5.1.
• Learning from journeys in literature reviews of COVID-19 research - PHIRI capacity building webinar

The leader and co-leader of this work package are:

Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUL)            Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)