Partnering With Community Health Workers to Address COVID-19 Health Inequities: Experiences of the California Alliance Against COVID-19

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 114; no. S1; pp. S45 - S49
• Main Authors: Rodriguez Espinosa, Patricia, Vázquez, Evelyn, AuYoung, Mona, Zaldivar, Frank, Cheney, Ann Marie, Sorkin, Dara, Zender, Robynn, Corchado, Claudia G, Burke, Nancy J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Public Health Association 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Alliances; California - epidemiology; Community centers; Community health care; Community Health Workers; Community involvement; Community participation; Correspondence; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 diagnostic tests; COVID-19 vaccines; Fairness; False information; Focus groups; Food programs; Health care facilities; Health disparities; Health education; Health Inequities; Health Promotion; Health services; Humans; Immunization; Institutes; Leadership; Medical personnel; Medicine; Meetings; Mental health; Pandemics; Partnering; Public health; Social networks; Teams; Vaccination; Workers; California; Los Angeles California; Southern California; Central Valley; United States > US
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307471

With funding from the National Institutes of Health's Community Engagement Alliance, starting in fall 2020, 11 academic medical centers and 75 community partners came together as the California Alliance Against COVID-19 to address COVID-19 inequities in California. Using data from focus groups, statewide meetings, and a statewide partner survey, we describe how and community health workers (P/CHWs; n = 540) helped to promote access to COVID-19 information, testing, and vaccination. We highlight opportunities to promote health equity among other public health collaborators with a P/CHW model. ( . 2024;114(S1):S45-S49. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307471).