Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities experiencing the ongoing impacts of long COVID are set to benefit from a major new $2 million research project backed by the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.
A team led by Associate Professor Kefyalew Alene – Head of The Kids Research Institute Australia’s Geospatial and Tuberculosis Team and an Associate Professor at Curtin University – will bring together community leaders, physicians, program leaders and researchers to inform the development of a new national guideline for preventing long COVID in CALD communities.
Although the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, emerging evidence shows that CALD populations continue to experience disproportionate rates of long COVID due to language barriers, limited health literacy and inequitable access to healthcare.
Studies from the US and UK have demonstrated increased risks of long COVID-related hospitalisation and morbidity among racial and ethnic minorities, including Asian, Hispanic and Black communities.
Associate Professor Alene’s team aims to ensure that these inequities do not take hold in Australia.
The project will begin by assessing the long-term health outcomes of COVID-19 among CALD and non-CALD communities in Western Australia.
Researchers will then identify and evaluate the effectiveness of existing long COVID models of care, with the goal of shaping a new approach that better serves CALD communities.
“Our goal is to improve health outcomes for CALD communities affected by long COVID-19 by developing a consumer-driven model of care tailored to their diverse needs,” Associate Professor Alene said.
“Co-designed by community leaders, physicians, program leaders, and researchers, this project will generate findings that inform the development of a national guideline for preventing long COVID in CALD communities, strengthening our research leadership capacity both in Australia and globally.”
The MRFF Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 Stream 2 grant will be administered by Curtin University