Network Publishes Framework of Research Priorities in COVID Rehabilitation

The Rehabilitation Science Research Network for COVID (the Network) and its collaborators published, "A framework of research priorities in COVID rehabilitation from the Rehabilitation Science Research Network for COVID: an international consultation involving qualitative and quantitative research", in the journal Disability and Rehabilitation. 

The Network conducted five international consultations to identify key issues and research priorities in COVID rehabilitation using:

• Web-based questionnaires,
• Synchronous discussions, and
• Content analysis of COVID rehabilitation research conference presentations. 

Network staff collated responses and notes and then analyzed data using content analytical techniques. Staff then organized the results into a preliminary Framework of Research Priorities in COVID Rehabilitation. The draft Framework was presented by Network staff to the Advisory Committee along with the original data sources across the five consultations for review. Staff then refined the Framework to its current iteration.

Results from the consultations provided insight into the “who” (target populations), the “how” (methodological considerations), the “what” (research priorities), and the “impact” (knowledge mobilization) of COVID rehabilitation research. This information is summarized in the Framework of Research Priorities in COVID Rehabilitation, which includes five research priorities that span health and disability across COVID illness trajectories from acute COVID-19 to Long COVID; and the rehabilitation care continuum from acute to community care.

Research priorities (the “what”) include:

1. Understanding experiences of episodic disability;
2. Assessing episodic disability;
3. Identifying and evaluating safe approaches to rehabilitation;
4. Examining the role, implementation, and impact of models of rehabilitation care; and
5. Examining access to safe, timely and appropriate rehabilitation and other health care provider services.

The Framework identifies target populations of interest (the “who”), methodological considerations to address the priorities (the “how”), and the importance of knowledge mobilization (the “impact”) in advancing scientific evidence, clinical education and practice, and COVID rehabilitation policy.

This Framework of Research Priorities in COVID Rehabilitation provides a foundation to advance COVID-19 and Long COVID disability and rehabilitation research to promote the health and well-being of persons with COVID-19, Long COVID, and their caregivers. The Framework may be used by researchers, clinicians, trainees, and members of the community to inform future COVID rehabilitation research.

Be sure to read the full article, published in Disability and Rehabilitation!

Note - The article published in Disability and Rehabilitation should be cited as follows:

O’Brien, K. K., McDuff, K., Chattu, V. K., Churchill, K., Colantonio, A., Davenport, T. E., … Cameron, J. I. (2024). A framework of research priorities in COVID rehabilitation from the Rehabilitation Science Research Network for COVID: an international consultation involving qualitative and quantitative research. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2382904