TABLE 1. Life+Health Study Table of Examples of Contextual Factors During the Study Recruitment Period: Boston, Massachusetts, March 2020 to July 2022.
| COVID-19–Related Updates and Protocols13 | Sociopolitical Events | Local Implications | Project Protocol Adjustments and Progress | Examples of Interactions With Patients | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | US COVID-19 deaths pass the 100 00 mark. COVID-19 case numbers surge past 11 million, CDC recommends stay home for thanksgiving. FDA agrees to EUA for COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer, BioNTech, then Moderna. |
Protests that last throughout the early months of the summer begin after the murder of George Floyd, following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor earlier in the year. | State of emergency declared. Governor directed all of Massachusetts' residents to stay at home and make only essential trips. Boston declared racism a public health issue.16 |
Original recruitment start time delayed. Research assistants begin making calls at Fenway Health. |
Fenway Health: distressed and distraught over the political and social times. Was really hoping to help and participate but was very consumed by the current state of the world. We spoke about hope and solidarity. |
| 2021 | CDC Director Walensky releases a statement on racism and health amid the pandemic. WHO identifies the omicron variant. Stimulus bill expands unemployment benefits, rental assistance, vaccines, child tax credits, and direct payments of up to $1400. |
HRC cites 2020 as the worst year on record for anti–trans violence/murders, and 2021 saw an increase in proposed anti-LGBTQ bills and antitransgender laws.18 Storming of the US capitol; Congress reconvenes and certifies Biden and Harris. |
Boston Public Schools move remote due to case counts.17 Boston Public Schools go full-time in-person learning starts for grades kindergarten-8th.17 All people older than 19 years become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts.19 |
First Mattapan CHC participants called. Added a local community grocery store gift card as an incentive option. First in-person participation at MCHC in outdoor computer station and The Fenway Institute. |
Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center: currently residing in another state. Left the Boston area because a close friend passed away from COVID-19. Does not currently have access to a computer but does in Boston. |
| 2022 | Recorded deaths in the United States due to COVID-19 reach 1 million. | Ten Black people were killed and 3 others injured in a shooting at a supermarket chain in Buffalo, New York. | State programs, facilities, and personnel subject to COVID-19. Vaccination requirements must receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination.19 |
Recruitment period extended to July 2022 due to COVID-19 delays. | Mattapan Community Health Center: Refused: sick and caring for sick family members; too busy to be involved in a study. |
Abbreviations: CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; CHC, Community Health Center; EUA, Emergency Use Authorization; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; HRC, Human Rights Campaign; MCHC, Mattapan Community Health Center; WHO, World Health Organization.