Impact of early COVID-19-related challenges on pediatric researchers: an exploratory analysis

Shah, Shetal; Javier, Joyce R.; Lee, Lois K.

doi:10.1038/s41390-023-02601-6

Correspondence
Published: 19 April 2023

Impact of early COVID-19-related challenges on pediatric researchers: an exploratory analysis

Shetal Shah¹,
Joyce R. Javier² &
Lois K. Lee³

Pediatric Research volume 94, pages 852–855 (2023)Cite this article

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The onset of the COVID pandemic in the spring of 2020 created personal and professional challenges for both new and established physician scientists. COVID-19-related policies aimed at curtailing disease spread burdened researchers (e.g., stay-at-home advisories) and created greater clinical responsibilities. Additional barriers for scientists included suspension of research activities and increased personal demands to provide childcare^1,2 during school closings, and other family responsibilities.^3,4,5 While federal measures have been proposed to help restore research productivity across all sectors to pre-pandemic levels, there remains limited primary-source data on the impact of the COVID pandemic on pediatric research.^6,7,8,9

To better understand how the pandemic affected pediatric scientists, the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) Advocacy Committee conducted an online survey of all 4490 United States-based Active, Junior and Emeritus members (dues and non-dues paying) in July 2021. The survey was sent via an email link twice to members using the Survey Monkey web program. The survey was also advertised in the society’s newsletter four times. Questions focused on how the pandemic influenced the researchers’ personal and professional responsibilities from March 2020 through June 2021. Demographic data included questions about type of research conducted (i.e., basic science, clinical, translational, population health), funding sources, changes in research staff, protected time and other challenges to conducting academic work. Respondents could also include narrative comments focused to their personal and professional experiences related to pediatric research. Preliminary findings are described. Comparative analyses were conducted using the chi-square statistic. This study was deemed exempt for review by the Institutional Review Board.

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available. Data was created and curated by the Society for Pediatric Research via its list of members for this work undertaken by the Society for Pediatric Research Advocacy Committee. Data may be available from the Society for Pediatric Research on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

All authors are members of the Society for Pediatric Research Advocacy Committee.

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Authors and Affiliations

New York Medical College, The Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY, USA
Shetal Shah
Division of General Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Joyce R. Javier
Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Lois K. Lee

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Shetal Shah
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SS helped draft the survey, conceptualized the paper, drafted the initial manuscript, created the tables used in the manuscript and revised the manuscript. JRJ helped draft the survey, conceptualized the paper, and revised the manuscript. LKL helped draft the survey, conceptualized the paper, and revised the manuscript All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Shetal Shah.

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Shah, S., Javier, J.R. & Lee, L.K. Impact of early COVID-19-related challenges on pediatric researchers: an exploratory analysis. Pediatr Res 94, 852–855 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02601-6

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Received: 27 December 2022
Revised: 14 March 2023
Accepted: 18 March 2023
Published: 19 April 2023
Version of record: 19 April 2023
Issue date: September 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02601-6

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