In the second Moritz Center for Societal Impact Lunch & Learn, Dr. Farya Phillips revealed how “long COVID” affects people beyond just physical symptoms – and how social work approaches are proving essential to recovery.
Drawing from interviews with patients experiencing long-term symptoms of COVID, Dr. Phillips highlighted a medical landscape filled with uncertainty. “Long COVID typically isn’t diagnosed until symptoms persist beyond 12 weeks,” she explained. Even initially asymptomatic COVID patients can develop debilitating fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and joint pain months later — often derailing careers and upending daily life.
Dr. Phillips’ in collaboration with Dr. Mike Brode, the medical director of UT Health Austin’s Post-COVID-19 Program conducted research that highlighted the difference integrated care makes. When treatments address not just physical symptoms but also mental health challenges and socioeconomic needs, patients report more successful healing journeys. This holistic approach – seeing the whole person, not just their symptoms – exemplifies how social work perspectives transform healthcare outcomes.
The conversation continues when Dr. Noël Busch-Armendariz presents “Tech, Tiles, and Turf: Unpacking the Research of Our Daily Contributions to Human Trafficking and Exploited Labor” on Wednesday, April 16, at 11:30 a.m.
Bring your lunch to Walter Webb Hall’s second-floor common room. The Moritz Center will provide desserts and refreshments.