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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.
RELEASE DATE:
Other
This episode from the podcast 99 Percent Invisible reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the American public to a long-standing problem: the disjointed nature of the U.S. health system. Because state and local health departments largely operate independently and use their own data collection and analysis tools, health systems across the country lack standardized data definitions and systems. These inconsistencies made it nearly impossible to collect and analyze comprehensive, standardized data on COVID-19 cases, deaths, and vaccines administered amid the pandemic. Health experts featured on this episode believe that the pandemic made the need for an overhaul of America’s informatics system very apparent. When rebuilding this system, it’s important to focus on remedying existing inequalities in data collection and classification that in some cases render the health status of certain populations – think Native American communities and other communities of color – completely invisible in the data. By virtue of being small populations, it can be difficult for health departments to collect sufficient and/or statistically significant data on minority communities. Another issue discussed in this episode is the use of broad racial categories like “other,” “multiple races,” or even “Asian American,” which, if not disaggregated, obscures the health status of diverse populations who are grouped under the same category. Without comprehensive and inclusive health data, it’s difficult to identify disparities and implement policies and programming that promote social mobility and health equity.
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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Systematic Review/Meta-Analysis
This review of state data collection and reporting practices during the COVID-19 pandemic found inconsistencies and gaps in data collected by race and ethnicity. Improved standardization across the U.S.–which may come in the form of a federally-operated centralized database–would address some of the concerns in data representation of all Americans.
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 highlights the geographic differences in COVID-19 positivity rates within Los Angeles county, taking into consideration other socio-structural determinants that impact these rates. The data — testing data from the LAC Department of Public Health and American Community Survey data — was analyzed and mapped to include testing rates, race/ethnicity, poverty, insurance status, education, and population/household density. Results found higher COVID-19 positivity rates in communities with higher proportions of Latinx residents, those living below the federal poverty line, and those with high household densities.
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.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This study assessed vaccine hesitancy in the United States by looking at Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey data. The study looked at race and ethnicity for individuals who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose by June 2021, but also looked at other socioeconomic factors such as access to healthy food, insurance status, and state-level political differences. The results found that while initial race/ethnicity analyses shows Black adults are more likely to not get vaccinated for COVID-19 than White adults, once other social factors were included, these differences were no longer significant. Additionally, insurance status and food insufficiency were not seen as significantly associated with vaccination hesitancy, but political differences does create an impact in overall state vaccination rates.
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.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This study looks at the perceptions, challenges, barriers, and experiences of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The study used a snowball sampling of 20 undocumented Asian and Latinx men and women and asked them a series of questions about access to health care and their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results found significant barriers in language comprehension, mistrust of public systems, and socioeconomic factors such as employers with little to no sick leave for those affected by COVID-19.
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.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This article details the work of the Asian Health Services (AHS), a Federally Qualified Health Center located in Alameda County, California. In May 2020, AHS sought to document the experiences and needs of the Asian American community they serve through a cross-sectional survey. The surveys were available in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, traditional Chinese, and Korean. Results display the diverse needs of the Asian American community, including issues with access to testing, anti-Asian discrimination, and language barriers offer several barriers to this community. Survey questions included in the article.
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.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This study discusses how a team of public health researchers and legal scholars with expertise in racial equity used systematic policy surveillance methods to develop a comprehensive database of state laws that are explicitly or implicitly related to structural racism, with the goal of evaluating their effects on health outcomes among marginalized racial and ethnic groups.
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 study looks at survey data from the 2020 U.S. Household Pulse Survey to estimate the associations between state-specific mobility restrictions and well-being across historically excluded groups, including those groups at the intersections of race/ethnicity, sex, and income categorizations. Results found that low-income and African American populations are most likely to be affected by lockdown restrictions, including unemployment, food insufficiency, mental health problems, inaccessibility of medical care, rent or mortgage defaults, and class cancellations.
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.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This study describes demographic characteristics and hospital bed capacities of the five New York City boroughs and evaluates whether differences in testing for COVID-19, hospitalizations, and deaths have emerged as a signal of racial, ethnic, and financial disparities. Results showed disparities among the boroughs. Bronx, with the highest proportion of racial/ethnic minorities, the most persons living in poverty, and the lowest levels of educational attainment, had higher rates of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 than the other boroughs.
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.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
The authors examine how the intersection of race and religion influences perceptions of COVID-19 vaccinations. Data for this study come from online surveys conducted in 12 congregations between October and December 2020. The findings suggest that the intersection of race and religion should be considered when designing immunization programs, for instance by fostering collaborations and dialogue with faith leaders of racial minority congregations.