CITF-funded studies have confirmed that COVID-19 is indeed more severe in many pregnant people, and that pregnant people and their babies respond just as well as the general population to COVID-19 vaccines.
Social and economic inequities, and related unequal access to health resources, increase risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 outcomes. Developing relationships that connect researchers with community and local health leaders fosters trust.
An ongoing cohort study that received funding from the CITF for a sub-study has found that many gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) had experienced or had perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime.
A CITF-funded study, published in BMJ Medicine, reported that pregnant individuals who received a third COVID-19 vaccine dose (first booster dose) during pregnancy had no increased risk of adverse pregnancy, fetal, and neonatal outcomes compared to those who did not receive a third dose. This study was led by Dr. Deshayne Fell (University of Ottawa and CHEO Research Institute).
A CITF-funded study, published in Sociology of Health and Illness, discovered that virtual care (healthcare at home using mainly telephone consultations) not only helps with delivering and receiving medical care but also brings about changes in the ways that people interact and provide care.
A CITF-funded study, published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, found that among women who gave birth in Ontario in 2021, 63.7% remained unvaccinated at the end of pregnancy. By June 30, 2022, almost two-thirds (65%) had initiated COVID-19 vaccination.
A CITF-funded study that focused on the South Asian community, now published in BMJ Open, and led by Dr. Sonia Anand (McMaster University) demonstrated that understanding factors such as community dynamics, language, and cultural context can help build vaccine confidence and acceptance among diverse populations.
A CITF-funded study, published in the CMAJ Open, found that seroprevalence data is a very useful mechanism to obtain accurate measures of the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the population, and when compared to PCR testing which under detects the number of infections was more reflective of the true burden.
A CITF-funded study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that the infants of mothers who were vaccinated postpartum had moderately effective protection against Delta infection (73%), but little protection against the Omicron variant (13%). The study applied to infants below the age of six months.
Despite the fact that pregnant individuals were prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination in late April 2021, a CITF-funded study, published in Vaccine, showed that COVID-19 vaccine coverage with at least one dose among pregnant individuals (71.2%) remained lower than in the general population of reproductive-age females (88%) at the end of 2021.