Insights from Immigrant and Refugee Communities Regarding COVID-19 Needs and Opportunities: A Mixed Methods Study

Introduction : This mixed methods study describes processes to actively engage underserved, immigrant, and refugee communities in COVID-19 vaccine efforts to co-create culturally relevant resources and dissemination. Methods : A survey on health care characteristics and COVID-19 attitudes was deployed between March-November 2021 followed by listening sessions conducted in December 2021. All participants were recruited through the project's Community Advisory Board. The survey, completed by 77 adults, was available in English, Spanish, Burmese, Kizigua, and Karen. Listening sessions were led by trained, multilingual, and multicultural interviewers. Results : Doctors/healthcare providers were rated as the most trusted messengers of COVID-19 information, however, trusted sources varied across communities. Data from three listening sessions (with a total of 14 participants) expanded survey findings with a focus on trusted sources of COVID-19 communication. Conclusions : This study confirmed the importance of healthcare professionals as trusted messengers for COVID-19 information among underserved communities. Qualitative data highlighted the importance of schools, ethnically-based community organizations, and friends/family with health and English literacy skills for immigrant and refugee communities. Findings suggest opportunities for collaboration with specific trusted sources for future public health dissemination efforts. Trial registration : not applicable

Perceptions of social media challenges and benefits during the Covid-19 pandemic: Qualitative findings from a cross sectional international survey

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020 the need for rapid information spread grew and social media became the ultimate platform for information exchange as well as a tool for connection and entertainment. With the rapid information spread along came the various public misconceptions and misinformation which consequently influenced perceptions and behaviors of the public towards the coronavirus pandemic. Thus, there was a need for identification and collation of public perceptions information to address future public health initiatives. This cross-national study aimed to examine the challenges and benefits of using social media during the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. This study was a content analysis of the open-ended questions from a wider cross-sectional online survey conducted in Norway, UK, USA, and Australia during October/November 2020. 2368 participants out of 3474 respondents to the survey provided the open text responses included in the qualitative analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted independently by two researchers. All statements were coded to positive and negative sentiments. Three overarching themes were identified: 1. Mental health and emotional exhaustion 2. Information and misinformation;3. Learning and inspiration.While providing a powerful mode of connection during the pandemic, social media also led to negative impact on public perceptions, including mistrust and confusion. Clarity in communications by institutions and education about credible information sources should be considered in the future. Further research is required in exploring and documenting social media narratives around COVID-19 in this and any subsequent incidents of pandemic restrictions. Understanding the public perceptions and their social narratives can support the designing of appropriate support and services for people in the future, while acknowledging the uncertainty and overwhelming impact of the pandemic that may have skewed the experiences of social media.

Using ethnographic approaches to document, evaluate, and facilitate virtual community-engaged implementation research.

BACKGROUND: Community Advisory Boards (CABs) have been frequently used to engage diverse partners to inform research projects. Yet, evaluating the quality of engagement has not been routine. We describe a multi-method ethnographic approach documenting and assessing partner engagement in two "virtual" CABs, for which we conducted all meetings remotely. METHODS: Two research projects for increasing equitable COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and clinical trial participation for underserved communities involved remote CAB meetings. Thirty-three partners representing 17 community groups participated in 15 sessions across the two CABs facilitated by a social change organization. We developed ethnographic documentation forms to assess multiple aspects of CAB member engagement (e.g., time spent speaking, modality used, types of interactions). Documenters were trained to observe CAB sub-groups via virtual sessions. Debriefing with the documentation team after CAB meetings supported quality assurance and process refinement. CAB members completed a brief validated survey after each meeting to assess the quality and frequency of engagement. Content and rapid thematic analysis were used to analyze documentation data. Quantitative data were summarized as frequencies and means. Qualitative and quantitative findings were triangulated. RESULTS: A total of 4,540 interactions were identified across 15 meetings. The most frequent interaction was providing information (44%), followed by responding (37-38%). The quality and frequency of stakeholder engagement were rated favorably (average 4.7 of 5). Most CAB members (96%) reported good/excellent engagement. Specific comments included appreciation for the diversity of perspectives represented by the CAB members and suggestions for improved live interpretation. Debriefing sessions led to several methodological refinements for the documentation process and forms. CONCLUSION: We highlight key strategies for documenting and assessing community engagement. Our methods allowed for rich ethnographic data collection that refined our work with community partners. We recommend ongoing trainings, including debriefing sessions and routinely reviewed assessment of data to strengthen meaningful community engagement.

Engaging Underserved Communities in COVID-19 Health Equity Implementation Research: An Analysis of Community Engagement Resource Needs and Costs.

Background: Meaningful community engagement is instrumental to effective implementation and sustainment of equitable public health interventions. Significant resources are necessary to ensure that community engagement takes place in culturally sensitive, trusted ways that optimize positive public health outcomes. However, the types and costs of resources best suited to enable meaningful community engagement in implementation research are not well-documented. This study's objectives are (1) to describe a pragmatic method for systematically tracking and documenting resources utilized for community engagement activities, (2) report resources across phases of implementation research, and (3) provide recommendations for planning and budgeting for community engagement in health equity implementation research. Methods: Community engagement partners completed a tracking log of their person-hours for community engagement activities across three phases of community engagement (startup, early, maintenance) in two implementation research projects to promote equity in COVID-19 testing and vaccination for underserved communities. Both projects completed a six-session Theory of Change (i.e., a facilitated group discussion about current and desired conditions that culminated with a set of priorities for strategic change making) over 4 months with respective Community Advisory Boards (CAB) that included community organizers, promotores, federally qualified health center providers and administrators, and public health researchers. The reported person-hours that facilitated community member engagement were documented and summarized within and across project phases. Results: For both projects, the startup phase required the highest number of person-hours (M = 60), followed by the maintenance (M = 53) and early phase (M = 47). Within the startup phase, a total of 5 community engagement activities occurred with identifying and inviting CAB members incurring the greatest number of person-hours (M = 19). Within the early phase, a total of 11 community engagement activities occurred with coordinating and leading live interpretation (Spanish) during CAB sessions incurring the greatest number of person-hours (M = 10). The maintenance phase included 11 community engagement activities with time dedicated to written translation of CAB materials into Spanish incurring the greatest number of person-hours (M = 10). Conclusions: Study findings indicate that the most significant investment of resources is required in the startup period. Needed resources decreased, albeit with a greater diversity of activities, in later phases of community engagement with Spanish language translation requiring most in the later stage of the study. This study contributes to the community engagement and implementation science literature by providing a pragmatic tracking and measurement approach and recommendations for planning for and assessing costs to facilitate meaningful community engagement in public health implementation research.

Protocol for a Multistage Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Multidisciplinary Chronic Kidney Disease Care Quality Following Integration of Virtual and In-Person Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Multidisciplinary care of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) as it previously existed was predicated on an evidence and experience base of improved patient outcomes within an established and well-described service delivery model. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a departure from this established care delivery model toward integration of virtual care and in-person care. Objective: To develop an evaluation framework to determine whether this shift in service delivery models has affected quality of multidisciplinary kidney care and/or patient-clinician interactions and relationships. Design: A sequential multiphase, mixed-methods evaluation. Setting: All 15 British Columbia (BC) multidisciplinary kidney care clinics (KCCs). Participants: All patients and all clinicians in all KCCs across BC will be invited to participate in the planned evaluation. Measurements: Qualitative and quantitative feedback from patients and families living with CKD and KCC clinicians. Methods: The planned multiphase evaluation of virtual care integration in KCCs will be conducted across all 15 KCCs in the province of BC, Canada. The following phases are proposed: (1) review of current virtual care integration and practices, (2) assessment of patient and clinician experiences and perspectives via semi-structured interviews, (3) validation of those patient and clinician perspectives via survey of a larger sample, (4) compilation and analysis of all phases to provide informed recommendations for patient and visit format selection in a mixed in-person and virtual multidisciplinary clinic setting. Limitations: This work will not capture any information about the relationship between differences in virtual usage parameters and clinical outcomes or financial implications. Conclusions: There is no existing framework for either evaluation of multidisciplinary CKD care quality in a virtual setting or evaluation of care quality following a substantial change in service delivery models. The proposed evaluation protocol will enable better understanding of the nuances in kidney care delivery in this new format and inform how best to optimize the integration of virtual and pre-existing formats into kidney clinic care delivery beyond the pandemic. Beyond the current evaluation, this protocol may be of use for other jurisdictions to evaluate their own local instances of virtual care implementation and integration. The model may be adapted to evaluate quality of multidisciplinary kidney care delivery following other changes to clinic service delivery models.

Contexte: Les soins multidisciplinaires prodigués aux patients atteints d'insuffisance rénale chronique (IRC), tels qu'ils existaient auparavant, étaient fondés sur une base de preuves et d'expérience de l'amélioration des résultats pour les patients dans le cadre d'un modèle de prestation de services établi et bien décrit. Le début de la pandémie COVID-19 a créé une fracture par rapport à ce modèle établi de prestation de soins, à la faveur d'une intégration des soins virtuels et des soins en personne. Objectif: Élaborer un cadre d'évaluation permettant de déterminer si ce changement dans les modèles de prestation de services a eu une incidence sur la qualité des soins multidisciplinaires en santé rénale et/ou sur les interactions et les relations entre le patient et le clinicien. Type d'étude: Une évaluation multiphase séquentielle à méthodes mixtes. Cadre: Les 15 cliniques multidisciplinaires de soins rénaux (CMSR) de la C.-B. Participants: Tous les patients et cliniciens de toutes les CMSR de la Colombie-Britannique seront invités à participer à l'évaluation. Mesures: Les rétroactions qualitative et quantitative des patients atteints d'IRC et de leurs familles, ainsi que celles des cliniciens des CMSR. Méthodologie: L'évaluation multiphase prévue de l'intégration des soins virtuels dans les soins prodigués dans les CMSR sera menée dans les 15 CMSR de la Colombie-Britannique (C.-B.), au Canada. Les phases suivantes sont proposées: (1) examen de l'intégration et des pratiques actuelles en matière de soins virtuels, (2) évaluation des expériences et des perspectives des patients et des cliniciens par le biais d'entrevues semi-structurées, (3) validation de ces mêmes perspectives par le biais d'un sondage sur un échantillon plus large, (4) compilation et analyze des données recueillies lors de toutes les phases afin de fournir des recommandations éclairées pour le choix des patients et du format de la visite dans un contexte de clinique multidisciplinaire intégrant les consultations en personne et virtuelles. Limites: Ces travaux ne permettront pas de recueillir des informations sur la relation entre les différences dans les paramètres d'utilization virtuelle et les résultats cliniques ou les implications financières. Conclusion: En ce moment, il n'existe pas de cadre pour évaluer la qualité des soins multidisciplinaires en IRC dans un cadre virtuel ni pour évaluer la qualité des soins après un changement important dans les modèles de prestation de services. Le protocole d'évaluation proposé permettra de mieux comprendre les nuances dans la prestation des soins rénaux dans ce nouveau format et d'indiquer la meilleure façon d'optimiser l'intégration des formats virtuels et préexistants dans la prestation des soins en clinique rénale au-delà de la pandémie. Au-delà de l'évaluation actuelle, ce protocole pourra être utilisé par d'autres provinces pour évaluer leurs propres instances locales de mise en œuvre et d'intégration des soins virtuels. Le modèle peut être adapté pour évaluer la qualité de la prestation de soins multidisciplinaires aux reins à la suite d'autres changements apportés aux modèles de prestation de services en clinique.

Co-creating a Theory of Change to advance COVID-19 testing and vaccine uptake in underserved communities.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the use of a Theory of Change to meaningfully engage community members from or support underserved communities in two National Institutes of Health-funded implementation science projects aimed at promoting equitable access to COVID-19 testing and vaccination for underserved communities. STUDY SETTING: Both projects focused on Latino, Black, and immigrant and refugee communities in South/Central San Diego and/or individuals accessing care at a federally qualified health center near the US/Mexico border during December 2020-April 2021. STUDY DESIGN: By using a participatory action research design, Community Advisory Boards (CABs) were established for each project with 11 and 22 members. CAB members included community organizers, promotores de salud (community health workers), clinic providers and administrators, and public health researchers. The CABs were guided through a seven-session Theory of Change process, focused on identifying necessary conditions that must exist to eliminate COVID-19 disparities along with specified actions to create those conditions and a blueprint for assessing the impact of those actions. DATA COLLECTION: Each session lasted 2 h hosted virtually and was augmented by interactive web-based activities. There was a live interpreter who facilitated the participation of Spanish-speaking CAB members. A Theory of Change for each project was completed in approximately 4 months. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Nine necessary conditions were identified related to (1) accessible and available services; (2) culturally and linguistically competent programming; (3) investment in trusted community and faith leaders; (4) social safety nets to provide ancillary services. Corresponding actions to create these conditions and measures to indicate success in creating these conditions were operationalized by the CAB. CONCLUSIONS: While resource-intensive, a CAB-led Theory of Change process yielded a rich opportunity to engage diverse groups that typically are not invited to inform these processes.