A newly funded study, led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center, focuses on essential workers who work in jobs outside health care. The study’s aim is to connect with people in Middle Tennessee who work in a variety of roles including education, manufacturing, hospitality and construction, to name a few.

The goal is to better understand how the COVID-19 virus is spread in our community regardless of vaccination status. The findings will be used to support workplace safety.

“Early in the pandemic, essential workers continued showing up at work, putting their lives at risk, and kept our society going,” said Manager of the Community Outreach Team Tiffany Israel, MSSW, who leads the study’s recruitment process. “While health care providers’ work has been recognized, non-health care workers have not always received the credit they deserve. These are the unseen heroes we are inviting to participate in our study.”

The Virus and Infections in Essential Workers (VIEW) study is set up for people to complete all activities at home and on their own time. All adults who work outside their homes, live in Tennessee within a 100-mile radius of Nashville, and who are non-health care providers can join. The goal is to have 1,500 individuals join. 

“This is a unique study in that we have worked hard to remove many barriers that might have kept people from joining a study in the past,” Israel said.

“We know that essential workers are busy and might be working first shift, second shift, third shift, and 40, 50, 60 hours a week,” said Erica Anderson, PhD, MEd, the study’s clinical research program manager. “Study activities are easy, and we’re paying people for their time because we are so grateful that they’re willing to give it.”

People can earn up to $1,500 for completing study tasks that include a nasal swab at home and online surveys. The study team includes individuals with a variety of connections in the community.

“As a public-school teacher, I am thrilled to join this team as a Community Outreach Worker to help keep school staff and students safe,” said Paige La Grone Babcock. “Teachers, bus drivers, counselors, cafeteria workers and others are critical in making our communities run and need to be given the respect and safety they deserve.”

The project is led by Carlos Grijalva, MD, MPH, professor of Health Policy and Biomedical Informatics. Other key team members include Velma Murry, PhD, professor of Human and Organizational Development at Vanderbilt University, and Aima Ahonkhai, MD, MPH, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. All are affiliated with VUMC.

If you are interested in learning more or being contacted about joining the study, please visit our website at viewstudy.org.