Research Data Repository

The VA COVID-19 Observational Research Collaboratory (CORC) has created a Research Data Repository (RDR) which is available for VA investigators to request in DART, after a request has been submitted and approved as described below.

The CORC-RDR consists of two datasets:

1. CORC-RDR COVID-19 infected and matched uninfected dataset

This dataset consists of VHA enrollees that were infected with SARS-CoV-2 for the first time between 3/1/2020 to 4/30/2022, each one of whom was matched to up to 25 VHA enrollees who were uninfected with SARS-CoV-2 as for the first day of the month that their matched comparator was infected in. Target trial emulation principles were followed such that the infected persons can be compared to the uninfected persons with respect to the development of a broad range of adverse outcomes following the index date.

A total of 490,461 infected persons were matched to 4,300,338 unique uninfected persons. Each infected person was matched to up to 25 uninfected persons resulting in 12,611,672 records.

For details about the matching methods and variables in this dataset, please access the Data Dictionary for the CORC-RDR COVID-19 infected and matched uninfected dataset: DD-CORC-RDR-COVID-19-Infected-Matched-Uninfected-Dataset.pdf (VA network access only).

2. CORC-RDR COVID-19 Vaccine File

The CORC-RDR COVID-19 Vaccine data file contains COVID-19 vaccine records from VA, VA community care claims, and Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) claims for all Veterans who were alive as of January 1, 2019 and who had a “verified” enrollment status in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) prior to May 1, 2021. Data from multiple data sources were combined and deduplicated to retain one row of data per vaccine dose. Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the first COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 11, 2020. Therefore, only vaccine records with a date of December 11, 2020 or later were retained in the file. Vaccine records were last updated as of January 3, 2024.

For details about the matching methods and variables in this dataset, please access the Data Dictionary for the CORC-RDR COVID-19 Vaccine File: DD-CORC-RDR-COVID-19-Vaccine-File.pdf (VA network access only).

How to request access to the CORC-RDR datasets?

In order to request CORC-RDR data you must have an approved VA research project that requires these data. Please download and complete the Research Data Access Approval (ReDAA) form ( Research-Data-Access-Approval-CORC-RDR.pdf (VA network access only)) and submit it together with project’s IRB and R&D Committee approval letters to the CORC-RDR Research Coordinator (Whitney.Showalter@va.gov). Once you receive the approved form from COVID Observational Research Collaboratory, upload it to DART in the Required Documents section to submit it with your request.