The TACTIC study (Tracking Asymptomatic COVID-19 Through Indianapolis Communities), recently launched by IU School of Medicine and Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, used the All IN for Health research volunteer database to recruit study participants.
When TACTIC was announced on Thursday, April 23, All IN for Health volunteers received the first invitations to participate. Recruitment was complete in just 20 minutes, with a lengthy waitlist, and the first round of enrollment was done within 24 hours of the study announcement. The study, which tracks non-symptomatic prevalence of COVID-19 in Marion County, will also utilize All IN for Health as one of the channels for sharing outcomes once the study is complete.
“I am so pleased to work with the All IN for Health team on the TACTIC study,” said Chandy John, MD, one of the lead researchers for TACTIC. “This study was possible because of their expertise in community health and engagement of our Indianapolis community in research that will lead to improved health here. This is a great example of the Indiana CTSI at work.”
The study team has finished collecting samples from 500 people around Marion County, including both children and adults.
-
- IU School of Medicine students Cody Howell and Joshua Hoffer taking test kits into the community
-
- IU School of Medicine student Joshua Hoffer dropping off a testing kit
-
- IU School of Medicine student Alli Jostes taking testing kits out in the community
-
- IU School of Medicine student Maddy Von Der Ohe keeping track of information for TACTIC study
“We recognize the importance and burden this pandemic has had on families, especially children, and hope to improve the health of our community through this research,” said James Wood, MD, the other lead researcher for TACTIC.
Medical students from IU School of Medicine delivered the testing kits to the homes of volunteer participants, then picked them up after the tests were completed.
“Research is the single-most important thing that we can do, since we can’t be in the hospitals now, on the front lines,” said Maddy Von Der Ohe, one of the IU School of Medicine students who delivered testing kits to participants. “It’s the only way we can gather data to try to guide our policies for how the world can open back up.”
Each participant will find out the results of their test. Participants said they were happy to be part of the study because they wanted to help researchers learn as much as they can about COVID-19.
“It’s a virus. Who knows how it’s going act? This could be our plague,” said Sue Stewart, who was one of the study participants. “I can’t cure the common cold, and I sure can’t cure this, but I can maybe help somebody avoid this.”
All IN for Health, a program of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, is designed to promote good health through the sharing of health resources and participation in health research. If you are interested in having All IN for Health as part of your study team, email inhealth@iu.edu.
