The MASALA study is proud to be one of the 14 national cohorts participating in this new nationwide study of more than 50,000 individuals to determine factors that predict the severity and long-term health impacts of COVID-19.
This study will include participants from nearly every U.S. state, with an estimated 24% of the participants who are Black, 20% are Latinx, 5% are Native American, 2% are Asians, and 49% are White.
Participants in MASALA and the other cohorts will be asked to complete a questionnaire in early 2021 and again in mid 2021 to determine their current health, behaviors, and psychosocial impact of the COVID pandemic. We will also ask participants to send us a small sample of blood (dried blood spot) to determine whether they have antibodies to COVID. Those who have had COVID infection, will be asked to share their medical records to determine their illness course and severity. These data will be used to determine the impact of the COVID pandemic on individuals in the community, and what the long-term effects may be of having COVID.
We thank the MASALA study participants for joining this collaboration. South Asians will have representation in this national study and will contribute to the overall understanding of this COVID pandemic.