I-Corps: Digital tool against post-traumatic stress disorder among COVID-19 survivors

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a cost-effective, convenient, and time efficient solution to address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The public health crisis following the trauma of COVID-19 requires new solutions to increase healing and improve outcomes. This technology seeks to connect patients with an anonymous community forum, eye movement desensitization reprocessing, meditation, and yoga. Core algorithms will be used to assess treatment options for post-traumatic stress disorder. This I-Corps project is based on the development of software to facilitate healing of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while decreasing the cost of care and improving outcomes of those suffering from PTSD. The COVID-19 pandemic has created trauma, disability, and death in the U.S. The incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) incidence related to COVID-19 is approximately 30% of the U.S. population. This technology seeks to advance a core set of algorithms that diagnosis patients, determining if they are positive for PTSD and improving their awareness of treatment options. The approach involves an agile methodology that emphasizes iteration and implementation of continuous feedback from the patient. The proposed innovation involves software that may help those navigating post-traumatic stress disorder through a set of core algorithms to minimize barriers and improve access to resources. This technology may be able to decrease costs associated with diagnosis and improve the ease with which healthcare is provided at a location that the patient prefers, such as at home. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.