Developing an Environmental Health Sciences COVID-19 Research Agenda: Results from the NIEHS Disaster Research Response (DR2) Work Group's Modified Delphi Method.

Nicole A Errett,Megan Couture,Richard Rosselli,Marilyn Howarth,Sara Webb,Kimberley Shoaf,April Bennett,Aubrey Miller,Steven Ramsey

doi:10.3390/ijerph17186842

Abstract

Leveraging the community of practice recently established through the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Disaster Research Response (DR2) working group, we used a modified Delphi method to identify and prioritize environmental health sciences Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and associated Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) research questions. Twenty-six individuals with broad expertise across a variety of environmental health sciences subdisciplines were selected to participate among 45 self-nominees. In Round 1, panelists submitted research questions and brief justifications. In Round 2, panelists rated the priority of each question on a nine-point Likert scale. Responses were trichotomized into priority categories (low priority; medium priority; and high priority). A research question was determined to meet consensus if at least 69.2% of panelists rated it within the same priority category. Research needs that did not meet consensus in round 2 were redistributed for re-rating. Fourteen questions met consensus as high priority in round 2, and an additional 14 questions met consensus as high priority in round 3. We discuss the impact and limitations of using this approach to identify and prioritize research questions in the context of a disaster response.

Highlights

In late 2019, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 first emerged in Wuhan, China
Recognizing the need to help inform the public of relevant SARS-CoV-2 scientific gaps and needs, the subcommittee quickly transitioned its efforts to focus on the identification and prioritization of EHS questions related to the current pandemic
We identified 26 interdisciplinary environmental health science experts to participate in our expert panel

Summary

Introduction

In late 2019, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 first emerged in Wuhan, China. The virus quickly made its way around the globe and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization onMarch 11, 2020 [1].Since January 2020, the scientific community’s response to SARS-CoV-2 has been remarkable.Diverse public and private funding agencies made research support available with unprecedented speed. In late 2019, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 first emerged in Wuhan, China. The virus quickly made its way around the globe and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on. March 11, 2020 [1]. Since January 2020, the scientific community’s response to SARS-CoV-2 has been remarkable. Diverse public and private funding agencies made research support available with unprecedented speed. By May 2020, an estimated 23,000 scientific papers addressing myriad topics relevant to COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 had been published, with estimates that this number would double. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 6842; doi:10.3390/ijerph17186842 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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