Report from the 2023 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research
The report from the 2023 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research is now published on our website.
Click here to read the Forum Report from the
Back in April 2023, The Rehabilitation Science Research Network (the Network) held its inaugural International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research. The Network, trainees funded by the Network, and speakers and panelists from the Forum collaborated to write a Forum Report. This report includes:
- An executive summary of the 2023 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research
- Background on the rationale for why the Forum was held
- A description of the methodology for how the Forum was planned, organized, and held
- An overview of the registrant/attendee characteristics
- An overview of the evidence presented at the Forum
- Highlights from the Evaluation Survey for the event
The objectives of the Forum were:
1) To facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) in the field of rehabilitation research related to COVID-19, clinical practice and service delivery among persons with lived experiences and affected by COVID-19, including acute COVID-19, and Long COVID, researchers, caregivers, clinicians, educators, trainees, representatives of community organizations and policy stakeholders in Canada and internationally;
2) To establish new and strengthen existing research collaborations and partnerships in the field of COVID-19 rehabilitation;
3) To foster mentorship and training in COVID-19 rehabilitation research among faculty, clinicians and trainees; and
4) To identify new and emerging research priorities in COVID-19 rehabilitation research and practice.
This Forum was a collaboration with the multiple partners and members of the Network who have been instrumental in advancing evidence and practice in COVID rehabilitation, including Long COVID Physio, the Rehabilitative Care Alliance, Patient-Led Research Collaborative, and FISIOCAMERA.
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 20 presenters from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Click here to read their bios and key messages from their presentations. Presentations included two Keynotes and two Research Evidence Sessions.
Key messages presented at the Forum included:
1) Disability experienced by persons living with Long COVID can be experienced as episodic, characterized by fluctuations in presence and severity of health-related challenges, which may be unpredictable in nature, occurring both within the day, and over the long-term of months and years living with Long COVID.
2) Rehabilitation and other health care providers and researchers can learn from other post-infectious conditions.
3) Person-centred care involving interdisciplinary health teams involving PT, OT and SLP may have a role in helping to prevent, mitigate or address episodes of disability among persons living with Long COVID and their caregivers.
Please see the Forums page of our website for more information about the 2023 International Forum on COVID Rehabilitation Research, including video recordings of the presentations!