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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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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.
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Peer Review Study
This article examines a cohort study of children in England to determine a possible association between COVID-19 testing rates, COVID-19 mortality rates, and race. Results found that Asian and Black children experienced race-specific disparities when compared to white children, with white children receiving more COVID-19 testing, but Black and Asian children experiencing worse outcomes, including hospitalization, ICU admission, and death.
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 association between county-level income inequality and COVID-19 cases and deaths from March 2020 to February 2021. This cohort study used county-level longitudinal data for all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and D.C. Results showed that income equality was associated with higher rates of COVID-19 cases and mortality. Targeting communities with higher rates of income inequality must be considered to lessen the burden of inequality.
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.
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.
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 looked at variations in COVID-19 diagnoses by ZIP code, race, and ethnicity in Indiana. The study examines patient information from the Indiana University Health system and geolocates the patient’s ZIP codes to calculate the number of COVID-19 cases per 10,000 persons for each ZIP code. The results showed that ZIP codes with higher percentages of African Americans, Hispanics, foreign-born persons, and residents living in poverty are disproportionately 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
The objectives of this study are to compare intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination by race/ethnicity, to identify perceptional factors that may mediate the association between race-ethnicity and intention to receive the vaccine, and to identify the demographic and perceptional factors most strongly predictive of intention to receive a vaccine. Participants were sent an electronic survey about COVID-19 vaccination with Research Electronic Data Capture Software (REDCap). In the TrackCOVID cohort, surveys were provided in Spanish and Chinese languages for respondents with limited English proficiency.