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Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
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Case Study
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) oversees programs and services for older adults through the aging service network, and worked closely with the COVID-19 command center during the COVID-19 pandemic. EOEA worked with senior affordable housing providers and advocated for vaccines for older adult populations. They also used their network to disseminate COVID-19 information to older adults, caregivers, and those working directly with older adults.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
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Systematic Review/Meta-Analysis
There are widespread concerns that ethnic minorities and migrants may have inadequate access to COVID-19 vaccines. Improving vaccine uptake among these vulnerable groups is important towards controlling the spread of COVID-19 and reducing unnecessary mortality. The data from this systematic review shows that low confidence in COVID-19 vaccines among Black ethnic minorities driven by mistrust and safety concerns led to high vaccine hesitancy in this group. For migrants, convenience factors such as language barriers, fear of deportation, and reduced physical access to COVID-19 vaccines. Building trust, reducing physical barriers and improving communication transparency about vaccine development through healthcare workers, and religious and community leaders can improve access and facilitate uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines among ethnic minority and migrant communities.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
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Peer Review Study
This study aimed to determine independent community pharmacist preparedness for COVID-19 vaccination and to identify strategies for COVID-19 vaccination implementation in Pennsylvania. Through surveys and focus groups these recommendations emerged: (1) working with community partners to support off-site mass vaccination clinics, (2) leverage partnerships with community organizations and universities to support staffing for vaccination efforts, (3) use an appointment-based immunization model, (4) use existing scheduling tools, text messaging, and automated phone calls for second-dose reminders, and (5) further training and process improvements to support vaccine documentation and transmission to the Pennsylvania Statewide Immunization Information System.
Novel Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.
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Systematic Review/Meta-Analysis
Structural inequality during the pandemic has likely compounded health care access barriers for low-income individuals and people of color, who face not only disproportionate health risks, but also greater difficulty in transportation access and heightened economic hardship due to COVID-19. Partnerships between health and transportation systems hold promise for jointly addressing disparities in health- and transportation-related challenges, but are largely limited to Medicaid-enrolled patients. Findings of this study suggest that transportation and health care providers should look for additional strategies to ensure that transportation access is not a reason for delayed medical care during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Transportation stakeholders need to collaborate to increase access to transportation services. This paper focused on specific health care needs including dialysis, prenatal care, cancer treatment, mental-health and substance use treatment, and health care for people with disabilities.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
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Summary Report/Recommendations
This report details the immense toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken, and continues to take, on Black communities. The report’s authors – physicians and public health and policy experts – note massive disparities experienced by Black Americans. The worse outcomes, are a predictable result of structural and social realities. The predicates that caused these disparities have long been present. These are cycles we have to break. The report highlights areas for immediate focus and attention, and presents a set of expert-generated recommendations for action.
Novel Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.
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White Paper/Brief
An early report issued by the CDC identified staff members working in multiple nursing homes as a likely source of spread of COVID-19. The authors performed the first large-scale analysis of nursing home connections via shared staff and contractors. Using a large-scale analysis of smartphone location data, they found that 49 percent of COVID-19 cases among nursing home residents was attributable to staff movement between facilities. Traditional federal regulatory metrics of nursing home quality were unimportant in predicting outbreaks. The results provide evidence for a policy recommendation of compensating nursing home workers to work at only one home and limit cross-traffic across homes.
Novel Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.
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Peer Review Study
Blue Shield of California’s Community Health Advocates (CHA) Program was created to support whole person-health needs by helping individuals of all socio-economic statuses navigate and access community resources, social services, and medical systems. The Health Reimagined initiative embeds Community Health Advocates within physical health practices to increase access to social services and community resources, improve health outcomes, reduce medical costs, and improve overall patient experience. Interviews and focus groups were held and found value in adding CHA’s to the care team. During the pandemic, CHAs have been important. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have made the need for holistic, community-integrated care even more urgent.
Best Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes when implemented in multiple real-life settings, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities.
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Summary Report/Recommendations
Recent national surveys of young people have shown alarming increases in the prevalence of certain mental health challenges. We know that mental health is shaped by many factors, from our genes and brain chemistry to our relationships with family and friends, neighborhood conditions, and larger social forces and policies. As we learn the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, and start recovering and rebuilding, we have an opportunity. Everyone has a role to play in combating this mental health pandemic. Ensuring healthy children and families will take an all-of-society effort, including policy, institutional, and individual changes. This advisory provides actionable recommendations for young people and their families, schools and health care systems, tech and media companies, employers, community organizations and governments alike. Mental health challenges are treatable and often preventable. This advisory shows how.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
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Peer Review Study
This cross-sectional study assessed vaccine uptake in staff and residents of long-term care facilities, including assisted living and other residential care through the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program. This program, a public-private partnership with 3 pharmacies (CVS, Managed Health Care Associates, and Walgreens), conducted on-site visits to enrolled LTCFs to provide end-to-end management of the COVID-19 vaccination process, including appropriate storage, handling, and transport of vaccines; vaccine administration; and fulfillment of reporting requirements. Findings include having on site clinics may increase vaccine uptake, particularly when transportation may be a barrier and recommendations include ensuring steady access to COVID-19 vaccine in LTCFs following the end of the Pharmacy Partnership to maintain high vaccination coverage among residents and staff.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This case study is on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine distribution via mobile vans to residents/staff of 47,907 long-term care facilities (LTCFs) across the United States that relied on algorithms to optimize vaccine distribution. The authors developed a modeling framework for vaccine distribution to high-risk populations in a supply-constrained environment. The framework decomposed this challenge as two separate problems: an assignment problem, where they optimally mapped each LTCF to select CVS stores responsible for vaccines; and a scheduling problem, where they developed an algorithm to assign available resources efficiently. The learning and this framework may be of use to other organizations, including communities where mobile clinics can be established to efficiently distribute vaccines and other healthcare resources in a variety of scenarios.