HERO Research
HERO (Healthcare Worker Exposure Response & Outcomes)
The HERO Program was a prospective, longitudinal registry coordinated by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) aimed at understanding pandemic-related perspectives and challenges faced by healthcare workers and first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HERO Registry brought together a community of more than 55,000 healthcare workers, first responders, and members of their families and communities. These individuals provided valuable data about their experiences working and living during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Program Status: All HERO studies have now concluded. Recruitment and enrollment are closed.
Key Outcomes
- Established a robust database of healthcare worker experiences during COVID-19
- Enabled multiple research studies examining various aspects of pandemic response
- Published findings in peer-reviewed journals
- Informed public health responses and workplace safety measures
- Association between characteristics of employing healthcare facilities and healthcare worker infection rates and psychosocial experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Design of the Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes (HERO) research platform
- Experiences of U.S. Nurses Compared With Nonnurses in the First Year of COVID-19: Findings From a National Registry
- Gender and intention to leave healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic among U.S. healthcare workers: A cross-sectional analysis of the HERO registry
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Home Healthcare Workers: Results From The Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes (HERO) Registry
- Impact of the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic on US Healthcare Workers: Results from the HERO Registry
- Nursing Home Workers’ Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Patterns of Potential Moral Injury in Post-9/11 Combat Veterans and COVID-19 Healthcare Workers
- Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of the HERO Registry
- Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare Worker Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of the HERO Registry
- Through the Lens of Good Participatory Practice: Findings and Lessons Learned from the Healthcare Worker Subcommittee of the COVID-19 HERO Registry
Data Access
Registry data is available through the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Patient-Centered Outcomes Data Repository, the funding sponsor, at the University of Michigan. Researchers interested in accessing this data may submit requests through the repository portal.
Study Status Quick Reference
|
Study |
Participants |
Status |
Results |
|
HERO Registry |
55,000+ |
Complete |
Published |
|
HERO-HCQ |
~2,000 |
Complete |
Published (pre-print) |
|
HERO-TOGETHER |
20,000+ |
Complete |
Forthcoming |
|
HERO-TOGETHER BOOST |
10,000+ |
Complete |
Forthcoming |
Studies Overview
HERO-HCQ was a randomized clinical trial of approximately 2,000 HERO Registry participants testing whether hydroxychloroquine (HCQ, brand name Plaquenil®) could prevent COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers.
Hydroxychloroquine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria and certain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. In the HERO-HCQ study, researchers tested its use as a preventive measure against COVID-19 infection.
The HERO-HCQ study was made possible by contributions and services from the Almac Group, Covance, Sandoz (Novartis), and Verily Life Sciences.
Summary of Results
The trial found that hydroxychloroquine did not prevent COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers. The study provided important evidence during a period when multiple potential preventive treatments were under investigation.
Additional Study Publication
HERO-TOGETHER collected real-world data on COVID-19 vaccines among U.S. healthcare workers, their family members, and community members. The study examined side effects and hospitalizations reported by participants after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
More than 20,000 participants enrolled in the study, providing up to 2 years of follow-up data about their post-vaccination experiences. All data collection has been completed.
Results from HERO-TOGETHER provided insights into the rates of side effects in vaccinated persons and any increased risk of certain side effects after vaccination. This information helped clarify post-vaccination experiences across different groups and contributed to building confidence in vaccines.
Summary of Results
Interim demographic results were submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during the first six months of the study. A final publication of the complete results is forthcoming.
Note: While Pfizer paid to support HERO-TOGETHER, including the online platform operated by Verily, all study activities were overseen by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) Coordinating Center and an Institutional Review Board.
The HERO-TOGETHER BOOST study was designed to learn more about the health of people who received COVID-19 vaccine boosters. This observational study, funded by Pfizer, tracked participants for up to 18 months after they received their COVID-19 booster vaccine.
Study Status
- Enrollment: Closed
- Data Collection: Completed February 2025
- Database Lock: June 2025
- Current Phase: Final clinical study report submitted to the FDA
Results
Annual study reports were completed during the study period. A final clinical study report and a lay summary of results will be made available once the analysis is complete. Results will be posted on the HMA-EMA Catalogues on the EMA website.
Thank You
We thank the more than 55,000 healthcare workers, first responders, and their families and friends who participated in the HERO program. Their commitment to advancing research during an unprecedented public health crisis has contributed significantly to our understanding of COVID-19 and its impact on healthcare workers.
Acknowledgements
The HERO research program was made possible by:
