COVID-19 pandemic exposure: effects on alcohol and functional outcomes.

Friday, November 11, 2022

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM

Presenter(s)

Amy A. Herrold, PhD, RYT

Research Health Scientist & Research Associate Professor
Edward Hines Jr., VA Hospital & Northwestern University
Hines, Illinois, United States

Slides
Emily Z. Wang, MS

Medical Student
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Illinois, United States
Emanuel N. Husu, MD

Assistant Professor
H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, United States
Trudy Mallinson, PhD

Associate Dean for Health Sciences Research
The George Washington University
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Runa Bhaumik, PhD

Research Assistant Professor
University of Illinois at Chicago, United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a large toll on all aspects of life for individuals worldwide including physical and mental health, healthcare, disability, employment, substance use and function. Our team conducted a COVID-19 pandemic exposure cross-sectional survey sub-study to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic exposure on alcohol- and function-related outcomes among Veterans. This symposium will describe the background and provide results for this sub-study conducted among 48 Veterans that were enrolled in this dovetail to an ongoing neuromodulation for co-occurring alcohol use disorder (AUD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) study. This important preliminary sub-study will provide timely information about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of Veterans, in particular those suffering from substance use disorders and mTBI.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will understand the clinical picture and overview of current knowledge on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on substance use disorders, mTBI and disability.
2. Participants will gain information about the utility of a homegrown COVID-19 pandemic exposure questionnaire.
3. Participants will gain preliminary information about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol-related outcomes, applied cognition and functional disability among Veterans.