Lambert Health Lab: COVID-19

Dr. Natalie Lambert’s COVID-19 Health Lab works to understand the multitude of ways in which COVID-19 impacts patients’ health. The major focus of her lab is to 1) understand how underlying health factors affect COVID-19 health outcomes and 2) identify barriers patients experience when seeking out care for long-term or novel COVID-19 symptoms. Dr. Lambert utilizes large-scale natural language processing of data collected from online communities as well as surveys, interactive mapping, and innovative health informatics techniques.

COVID-19 Patient Experiences Research

a graph shows patient-reported symptoms of COVID-19

There are many unknowns about how COVID-19 affects people infected with the virus. Research conducted by Dr. Lambert in partnership with Survivor Corps identified 98 long-term symptoms reported by COVID-19 patients. This project is designed to help answer questions about which underlying health conditions and background factors impact the likelihood of someone experiencing particular COVID-19 symptoms. COVID-19 symptoms can be long-lasting and intermittent, and can affect a wide range of bodily systems. Every case of COVID-19 can manifest a unique combination of symptoms. While many researchers are working to understand these health impacts, patients currently report difficulty getting medical treatment for their long-term symptoms. This project therefore also investigates barriers patients face in getting COVID-19-related medical care.

Open Studies

COVID-19 Symptom Impact Survey

Please take this survey if you tested positive for COVID-19, if you have/had a suspected case of COVID-19, or if you believe you have/had COVID-19. We know that many people who experienced COVID-19 symptoms weren’t able to get tested, and that some people with COVID-19 symptoms received a false negative on their test.

Take the COVID-19 Symptom Impact Survey

Completed Studies

COVID-19 “Long Hauler” Symptom Survey

This survey was done in collaboration with Survivor Corps. Survivor Corps posted an open Facebook poll asking members to indicate all of their long-term COVID-19 symptoms. Participants identified 98 unique long-term COVID-19 symptoms, 26.5% of which are typically painful symptoms, with a large portion of symptoms affecting the brain, nervous system, and whole body.

A map of Indiana shows the locations of COVID-19 resources

Indiana COVID-19 Resource Assessment Research

Indiana University is committed to improving Hoosiers’ health, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Lambert has partnered with Indiana 211 to conduct research to understand the Indiana COVID-19 resource landscape. Her lab team created an innovative, interactive resource mapping system that enables local experts to report COVID-19 resources and resource needs. Dr. Lambert’s team is tracking COVID-19-related resource requests over time in order to identify what assistance Hoosiers need the most.

Lambert Health Lab in the News

NBC News “Doc to Doc”, Coronavirus Conversation with Dr. Natalie Lambert, 8/2020

TIME Magazine, Some Coronavirus Patients Are Reporting Symptoms That Last Months. Nobody Knows Exactly How to Treat Them, 8/2020

New York Post, Hair loss may be a coronavirus symptom, study finds, 8/2020

The National, “Beyond the Headlines”, What is long-haul Covid and is it real? 8/2020

Forbes, More Coronavirus Patients Are Reporting Hair Loss, 8/2020

yahoo! Life, COVID-19 long haulers on months of debilitating symptoms: ‘They don’t know how to make me better’, 8/2020

CBS News, COVID-19 could cause your hair to fall out, 8/2020

NBC News, COVID-19 'long-haulers' report nearly 100 symptoms for more than 100 days, 7/2020

ABC 7 Chicago, Coronavirus symptoms: Mysterious, scary symptoms persist long after initial COVID-19 infection, 7/2020

USA Today, Long-lasting COVID symptoms from lungs to limbs linger in coronavirus 'long haulers', 7/2020

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