West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute: Improving Health through Partnerships and Transformative Research

Emergence of a novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 (SARS CoV-2), has resulted in human disease (COVID-19) that has swept the globe inpandemic proportions with more than eight million confirmed cases and >440,000 deaths to date.Surges of COVID-19 have occurred throughout the United States (US) with urban centers suchas New York City and New Orleans hardest hit. COVID-19 clinical descriptions have evolvedfrom what was initially felt to be a respiratory illness to a multisystem disease with proteanmanifestations. Moreover, disparities in outcomes have been described with African Americanshaving higher infection and mortality rates. Populations residing in rural areas are often poorer,older, and have multiple co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension, raisingquestions about disease manifestations and outcomes that may differ from those described inurban areas. COVID-19 cases and mortality in rural areas continues to climb with multipleoutbreaks, many of which have been related to meat packing plants and prison clusters. TheNational COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) has been established by the National Center for Datato Health (CD2H) in partnership with the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences(NCATS) for purposes of building a centralized national data resource for the study of COVID-19.As N3C will facilitate translation of data into knowledge urgently needed to effectively address theCOVID-19 pandemic, it is critically important that this resource contain patient outcomes datafrom diverse populations throughout the US - both urban and rural - with inclusion of populationsof color, Native Americans, and others. The Institutional Development Award Program ClinicalTranslational Research Centers (IDeA CTRs) are located in diverse areas of the US, serving ruralpopulations as well as other vulnerable groups, including Native Americans and persons of color.IDeA CTRs are well poised to provide outcomes data that relate to a diverse group of medicallyunderserved persons that may otherwise not receive adequate representation in the N3C.Specifically, eight IDeA CTRs located in Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska,Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and West Virginia have established relationships with healthcareorganizations that have, to date, have conducted SARS CoV-2 testing among more than 285,000persons, of whom more than 25,000 have tested positive. This project will enable rapidcontribution of COVID-19 patient data from IDeA states to N3C, enhancing understanding ofCOVID-19 in the US and driving further research addressing COVID-19 patient outcomes inmultiple underserved populations.