Impact of COVID-19 on the Research Career Advancement of Health Equity Scholars from Diverse Backgrounds

Adriana Báez (), Muhammed Y. Idris, Kimberly Lawson, Mohamed Mubasher, Yulia Strekalova, Keith Green, Priscilla Pemu, Jonathan K. Stiles, Martiza Salazar, Alexander Quarshie, Lee S. Caplan, Ernest Alema-Mensah, Thomas Pearson, Jessica Faupel-Badger, Jeffrey A. Engler and Elizabeth O. Ofili
Additional contact information
Adriana Báez: Departments Pharmacology and Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00936, USA
Muhammed Y. Idris: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Kimberly Lawson: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Mohamed Mubasher: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Yulia Strekalova: Departments of Epidemiology and Health Services Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Keith Green: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Priscilla Pemu: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Jonathan K. Stiles: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Martiza Salazar: Department of Organization and Management, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Alexander Quarshie: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Lee S. Caplan: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Ernest Alema-Mensah: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Thomas Pearson: Departments of Epidemiology and Health Services Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Jessica Faupel-Badger: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
Jeffrey A. Engler: Council of Graduate Schools, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Elizabeth O. Ofili: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly taxed scientific research and seems to have exacerbated existing inequities within the research field, particularly for early-stage investigators (ESIs). This study examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on traditionally underrepresented ESIs enrolled in an NIH-supported study evaluating the effectiveness of developmental networks, grant writing coaching, and mentoring on research career advancement. The survey consisted of 24 closed-ended (quantitative) and 4 open-ended questions (qualitative) linked to a participant’s ability to meet grant submission deadlines, research and professional development disruptions, stress level, career transition level, self-efficacy and management of scholarly tasks, and familial responsibilities. Results from 32 respondents (53%) suggest that COVID-19 adversely impacted the continuity of research (81%) and grant submissions (63%). On average, grant submissions were delayed by 6.69 months (i.e., greater than one grant cycle). We also conducted additional analyses characterizing nonresponse and found that there were no significant predictors of nonresponse, indicating a limited threat to the validity of our findings. The disruption caused by COVID-19 to the careers of ESIs from underrepresented groups in the biomedical workforce has been profound in the short term. The long-term consequences to the future success of these groups are unknown but is a worthwhile area of research and potential innovation.

Keywords: COVID-19; early-stage investigators; developmental networks; grant writing coaching; mentoring (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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