Open AccessCOVID-19's Impact on the African American Community: A Stakeholder Engagement Approach to Increase Public Awareness Through Virtual Town Halls
Author(s) -
Faith E. Fletcher,
Shauntice Allen,
Selwyn M. Vickers,
Thomas Beavers,
Christopher M Hamlin,
Dontrelle Young-Foster,
Sherea Harris-Turner,
Paul Campbell Erwin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
health equity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.826
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 2473-1242
DOI - 10.1089/heq.2020.0029
Subject(s) - outreach , public engagement , covid-19 , stakeholder , public health , community engagement , stakeholder engagement , political science , public relations , sociology , medicine , nursing , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law
COVID-19 has created a rapidly evolving public health crisis disproportionately impacting African Americans due to persistent inequities. The changing COVID-19 guidelines have resulted in concerns expressed by the American public, including unique concerns expressed by African Americans. To increase COVID-19-related awareness and dialogue among the African American community, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health and the Housing Association of the Birmingham District convened a virtual town hall. This process of stakeholder engagement underscored the importance of cross-disciplinary expertise and collaboration and of community education and outreach by trusted sources.