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IMPLEMENTATION OF MOBILE HEALTH UNITS TO DELIVER PREVENTIVE COVID-19 CARE TO MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
Journal of General Internal Medicine ; 37:S573, 2022.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1995678
ABSTRACT
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM/QUESTION Even though they face a higher risk of COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality, racial and ethnic minorities in the Greater Boston area have had less access to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM/INTERVENTION We implemented a novel, community-based mobile health unit program by repurposing transportation vans with COVID-19 testing equipment, preventive hygiene kits, and mRNA vaccines. Our goal was to expand testing and vaccine availability in highly affected communities in the Greater Boston area. We used a “double equity” model by hiring workers from a local transportation company whose staff were at risk of unemployment. The vans were staffed with racially/ ethnically diverse and multilingual staff, including members of the target communities themselves. We incorporated a system of “trusted messengers” to answer questions about COVID-19 and in particular, vaccination from the community. We implemented this program with crucial input from community-based organizations and municipal public health departments. Van location sites were guided by community partners, in some cases incorporating SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance data to meet rapidly changing community needs. MEASURES OF SUCCESS Our goals were to (1) demonstrate the feasibility of a COVID-19 testing program guided by community partnerships and SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance data;(2) improve access to COVID-19 testing in underserved communities;and (3) improve access to COVID-19 vaccination among racial/ethnic minorities. We collected ongoing feedback (e.g. through the local community advisory groups etc) on the mobile health program from community partners, patients, and staff. We compared sociodemographic characteristics of mobile health participants with the general population of the state of Massachusetts and the population of the target communities. FINDINGS TO DATE From January 2021 - January 2022, our mobile health units have tested greater than 4500 persons in predominantly low socioeconomic communities that have been highly impacted by the pandemic. From May 2021 - January 2022, we vaccinated 5480 persons in these communities. An analysis of our program from January 2021 - January 2022 demonstrated that mobile health unit participants receiving COVID-19 vaccines were significantly more likely to be non-White and Hispanic compared with the general vaccinated population of the state of Massachusetts and of the target communities, and these findings were statistically significant. We also found that the mobile health units vaccinated more youth and adolescents in the target community compared with the general state vaccination data. KEY LESSONS FOR DISSEMINATION Delivery of preventive COVID19 care via mobile health units is feasible and associated with high usage from affected communities when implemented with high stakeholder engagement and expertise from local public health departments. Employing diverse, multilingual, and well-trained healthcare staff as trusted messengers likely improved COVID-19 vaccine uptake in this population.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Language: English Journal: Journal of General Internal Medicine Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Language: English Journal: Journal of General Internal Medicine Year: 2022 Document Type: Article