2024 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research
The Rehabilitation Science Research Network held the 2024 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research on Friday April 19, 2024, in partnership with Fisiocamera, Long COVID Physio, and Long COVID Web. The Forum and the Network are supported by Temerty Faculty of Medicine. The aims of the Forum were to facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE), collaborations and partnerships in COVID rehabilitation research and practice.
Over 250 people, representing over 20 countries, participated in the Forum either virtually or in-person. This included people with lived experiences, health care professionals, policy makers, and researchers with an interest in COVID rehabilitation.
The Forum included over 25 presenters from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Presentations included three Keynotes and two Research Evidence Sessions. Keynote Session 1 delivered by Dr. Mark Faghy was entitled, Unlocking the mystery of Post-Exertional Malaise in Long COVID…. Keynote Session 2 was a panel discussion entitled, Community engagement in rehabilitation research – a year in review. The aim of this panel discussion was to build capacity by learning from persons with lived experiences about their experiences and perspectives engaging in COVID rehabilitation research, and to discuss recommendations, considerations and best practices for research moving forward. Keynote Session 3 was a panel discussion entitled, Bridging Research Evidence with Real World: Community, Clinical and Policy Perspectives on Navigating the Maze of the Continuum of Care, Living with Long COVID. The aim of this panel discussion was to highlight translation of research to practice from an interdisciplinary perspective, centering a case study presented by a panelist living with Long COVID. The first Research Evidence Session focused on Health and Disability across Acute and Long COVID Illness Trajectories. The second Research Evidence Session focused on Rehabilitation across Acute COVID-19 and Long COVID Care Continuums.
Poster and Abstract Awardees at the 2024 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research
There were 9 posters presented as part of the Forum program. Three awards were administered to poster presenters on behalf of the Network. Kriti Agarwal et al. won the People's Choice Award for their poster, Participant Satisfaction with a Virtual Rehabilitation Program in Long COVID; Nadine Akbar et al. won the Best Abstract Award for their poster, Experiences living with Long COVID among racialized communities in Canada; and Chantal Lin et al. won the Best Trainee Abstract Award for their poster, Long COVID and Rehabilitation: Experiences of Physical Therapists in Canada.
The Forum provided an opportunity for speakers and attendees to respond to current research evidence and present new and emerging research evidence and experiences of COVID rehabilitation. Structured discussions and Q&A segments enabled participation throughout the day and facilitators engaged attendees both in-person and online, while adhering to the agenda. Overall, the 2024 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research was a successful event that built on feedback received from last year’s inaugural Forum. All registrants will receive a link to the Forum presentations on the Network YouTube Channel, and a link to the recordings will be included on the Network's website, as soon as the recordings are processed and uploaded.