Villanova Nursing CHAMPS Study Receives Funding from Travere Therapeutics

The Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) has received funding from Travere Therapeutics, Inc. in support of its national Caring About Health for All Study (CHAMPS) to assess the immediate and long-term health impact on frontline healthcare workers serving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study is obtaining data on the physical and mental health and well-being of workers potentially exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the course of their duties. Included are a broad range of occupations such as those working in the community (police officers, firefighters, emergency personnel, screening staff) as well as in permanent or temporary sites that care for patients (service staff such as dietary and environmental services personnel; nurses, physicians, and other health professionals). Recruiting a diverse group of participants is a particularly important goal in the CHAMPS study in order for the results to benefit the broader U.S. population.

Travere’s mission is to identify, develop and deliver life-changing therapies to people living with rare disease. Support of CHAMPS is consistent with its efforts to support organizations striving to address health disparities, including for those who face the highest hurdles because of their race, ethnicity, gender, age or socioeconomic status.

“We are grateful to Travere Therapeutics for their support of the CHAMPS Study which will allow us to continue to conduct and disseminate this important research,” says Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor, who is a principal investigator for CHAMPS.

CHAMPS will enable healthcare agencies, the government, and other stakeholders to understand the broad impact of COVID-19 on frontline workers. Ultimately, the study will enhance public health strategies designed to mitigate these effects now and during future health emergencies.

CHAMPS will serve as a registry for future, hypothesis-driven sub-studies of behavioral and biological coping mechanisms and allostatic load (wear and tear on the body), as well as randomized clinical trials. Participants are recruited throughout the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands) with outcomes followed longitudinally for four years.

More information can be found at villanova.edu/CHAMPS.