Diversity and Health Disparities Update

Happy New Year! We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during the coronavirus pandemic. Please take a moment to explore this roundup of helpful resources, future events and programs on diversity, health disparities and health equity.

COVID-19 and Health Equity Resources

CHA Diversity & Health Disparities Networking Call
Feb. 17, 2021
1 – 2 p.m. ET
Please join us for the first networking call of 2021 to share what Catholic health care facilities and systems are doing to address health disparities in the context of COVID-19, including outreach to communities, data collection, access to testing and treatment and building trust in communities suspicious of the health care system. If you have a program to highlight or a discussion topic to suggest for the agenda, please contact Kathy Curran, CHA senior director, public policy.

NIHCM Foundation: COVID-19 and the Legacy of Racism: Vaccine Hesitancy and Treatment Bias Webinar
Feb. 3, 2021
3 – 4 p.m. ET
The COVID-19 pandemic's devastating impact on Black, Latino and other communities of color has resulted in disproportionately high rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Racism, both historical and current, complicates efforts to reduce these disparities by contributing to vaccine hesitancy, treatment bias, barriers to testing, and ongoing economic and social inequities. This webinar will explore challenges and solutions and is part of the webinar series, "Stopping the Other Pandemic: Systemic Racism and Health."
» Register
» View previous webinars.

National Association of Community Health Workers: An Environmental Scan to Inform Community Health Worker Strategies within the Morehouse National COVID-19 Resiliency Network, Executive Summary
The National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) has prepared a report on the important role of community health workers in combatting COVID-19. The report provides strategies to integrate CHW leadership and innovation into response efforts and includes recommendations organized by the six objectives of the Morehouse School of Medicine's National COVID-19 Resiliency Network.
» Access the executive summary

Trust for America's Health: Building Trust in and Access to a COVID-19 Vaccine Within Communities of Color and Tribal Nations
Policymakers and the health care sector must earn trust within communities of color and tribal communities to ensure COVID-19 vaccine receptivity. This policy brief calls for building vaccine acceptance through data transparency, tailored communications via trusted messengers, ensuring ease of vaccine access and zero out-of-pocket costs.
» Access the brief

National Indian Health Board: COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) seeks to ensure that tribes remain informed on COVID-19, have the resources and assistance needed to respond to the pandemic, and that Congress and the Administration understand and address tribal needs and priorities.
» Access the resource center

Kaiser Family Foundation: COVID-19 Risks and Impacts for Health Care Workers by Race and Ethnicity
Health care workers face some of the greatest risk of exposure to the coronavirus. This brief examines the composition of the workforce and how the risks and the impact of the pandemic on this workforce vary across racial/ethnic groups and also discusses the overall impact the pandemic is having on health care workers as well as their attitudes towards taking a COVID-19 vaccine.
» Read the brief

Kaiser Family Foundation: COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor
The KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor is an ongoing research project tracking the public's attitudes and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. Using a combination of surveys and focus groups, this project will track the dynamic nature of public opinion as vaccine development unfolds, including vaccine confidence and hesitancy, trusted messengers and messages, as well as the public's experiences with vaccination as distribution begins.
» View the findings

Archived Briefing: Kaiser Family Foundation and Morehouse School of Medicine's Satcher Health Leadership – Racism and Discrimination in Health Care: Experiences Today and Actions to Address Going Forward
KFF and the Morehouse School of Medicine's Satcher Health Leadership Institute held an interactive web briefing on Friday, Dec. 11, to discuss addressing systemic racial discrimination in the health care system and meeting the moment to earn trust among individuals and communities as COVID-19 vaccines come to market.
» Watch the briefing

Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: The Relationship Between Social Determinants of Health and Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Mortality
Research published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities explored the relationship between COVID-19 mortality and neighborhood level social determinants of health. Results showed that counties in the lowest quintile of a measure of economic privilege had increased COVID-19 death rates of 67.5%. Other health-harming SDOH such as local incarceration rates, percent of households without internet, and percent of adults without a high school diploma were also found to significantly increase COVID-19 death rates.
» Access the article

deBeaumont Foundation's New Poll: Language That Works to Improve Vaccine Acceptance
The findings of a national poll, "The Language of Vaccine Acceptance," reveal the urgent need for political and health leaders to adjust their messaging to improve confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. The poll identifies the language that will be most effective in reaching all Americans, especially those who are currently less likely to take a vaccine.
» Review the poll findings

NIHCM Foundation: Infographic: Systemic Racism & Health Care, COVID & Treatment
Discrimination and bias in the health care system have contributed to the pandemic's dramatic impact on Black, Latino and Native American populations. This infographic explores the history of racial bias and discrimination in health care and during the pandemic, outlines short-term strategies to narrow disparities from COVID-19 and respond to vaccine hesitancy, and highlights long-term strategies to address systemic racism and improve health outcomes.
» View the graphic

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID Data Tracker
The CDC has been tracking overall data regarding COVID-19 disease. With the recent development of vaccines, a section on vaccine distribution and administration has been added. This information is updated daily.
» Access the database

Archived Webinar – Catholic Health Association: Achieving COVID-19 Health Equity: Partnering with Communities
Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans and Asians are experiencing disproportionally high COVID-19 infection and death rates. Health care organizations are mobilizing to address the disparate health and social impacts of COVID-19 on these groups by providing equitable access to vaccines, testing and treatment and tackling the underlying social determinants of health and disparities in care. The speakers, Britney Bethea, The Morehouse School of Medicine National COVID-19 Resiliency Network and Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, executive director Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, discussed the need to build trust and partner effectively with local communities to implement pandemic response activities that will reach those most at risk.
» Watch the recording
» Download the presentation 

Archived Webinar – NIHCM Foundation: The Future of the COVID-19 Response: The New Administration, Vaccines and the Health Care System
This webinar brought together experts to discuss where we are now in the COVID-19 pandemic and the response. We are in a critical phase of the pandemic, seeing spikes in daily reported COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. While encouraged by news about vaccine efficacy, many questions remain around distribution and addressing vaccine hesitancy.
» Watch the recording

Archived Videocast – 2020 NIH Rural Health Seminar: Challenges in the Era of COVID 19
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) brought together researchers, medical practitioners and others to explore topics in rural health and the impact of COVID-19 on rural populations, systems and workforce issues and community engagement to respond to the pandemic.
» View the recording

Archived Webinar from the Trust for America's Health – Ensuring COVID-19 Vaccine Access, Safety and Utilization: Building Vaccination Confidence in Communities of Color
For historical reasons, there has been longstanding distrust for vaccines in communities of color. This webinar featured a discussion between expert policymakers and stakeholders on how to build vaccine confidence and access in communities of color.
» Watch the recording

Events

CHA Equity Webinar Series: Bridging Identity & Inclusivity to Create Health Equity
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021
This four-event webinar series will explore how other faith traditions address racism, share how Catholic health care organizations welcome and respect a religiously diverse workforce, look at managing conflict when patients resist care from certain caregivers and share replicable programs to address social determinants of health and reduce health disparities.
» Learn more and register - Free for CHA members.

CHA is Sponsoring Catholic Social Ministry Gathering
Feb. 6-9, 2021
CHA is a sponsor for the 2021 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, virtual in 2021, the annual event for leaders in Catholic social ministry and advocacy! For over 30 years this event has brought together hundreds of participants whose faith inspires them to address pressing current domestic and global challenges affecting our most vulnerable brothers and sisters at home and around the world. The 2021 gathering will focus on the disparities revealed by COVID-19 and re-imagine new models of justice and solidarity. Register for the gathering. Be sure to note information about a special initiative for young leaders in Catholic social ministry and the Diversity Outreach Initiative is also available.

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities: What It Means to Talk About Race and African American Health
Feb. 11, 2021
2 – 3 p.m. ET
This videocast will examine the impact of racism on African American health, looking at pervasive inequities that drive higher rates of morbidity and death in the United States and will explore the deeply entrenched effects of racism on African American health through institutional policies and practices that defeat socioeconomic opportunity and cause overexposure to harms; stereotypes; day-to-day encounters with racism; and other aspects of American social life.
» View on the day of the event

American Hospital Association: Rural Healthcare Leadership Conference
Feb. 17-18, 2021
Rural health care leaders are actively transforming their organizations through a focus on affordability and value with innovative responses to emerging opportunities and unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategic partnerships that cut across the care continuum, evolving payment models, unique workforce approaches, effective leveraging of digital technologies, attention to the social determinants of health, and new care models are enabling rural providers to improve the health of their communities. This year's virtual conference will bring together top practitioners and thinkers to share strategies and resources for accelerating the shift to a more integrated and sustainable rural health system and will examine the most significant operational and environmental challenges including the impact of COVID-19 on rural hospitals and their communities, and present innovative approaches that will enable you to transform your organization's care delivery model and business practices.
» Register for the event

AHA Community Health Improvement (ACHI) and Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE): Accelerating Health Equity Conference
March 16-18, 2021
ACHI and IFDHE will join forces to bring together community and population health professionals with diversity and inclusion leaders for a unique three-day virtual experience dedicated to accelerating health equity and reimagining community health for the future.
» Register for the event

Reports and Resources

Department of Health and Human Services: Healthy Women, Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Futures: Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a new report, "Healthy Women, Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Futures: Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America," outlining the Agency's plan to reduce maternal deaths and disparities. The report provides a roadmap for addressing pregnancy risk factors, improving the quality of and access to maternity and postpartum care and supporting research initiatives especially those focused on demographic disparities.
» Read the report

Commonwealth Fund – Maternal Mortality in the United States: A Primer
Understanding the evidence on maternal mortality and its causes is a key step in crafting health care delivery and policy solutions at the state or federal level. This data brief draws on a range of recent and historical data sets to present the state of maternal health in the United States today.
» Read the data brief

New England Journal of Medicine: How Structural Racism Works - Racist Policies as a Root Cause of U.S. Racial Health Inequities
This paper published by the New England Journal of Medicine discusses how racist structures in our society such as redlining and racialized residential segregation, police violence and the carceral state, and unequal health care contributes to racial health inequities and how to dismantle these systems.
» Download the paper

Archived Podcast – Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital: Dismantling Disparities in Health Care
Dismantling Disparities in Health Care is a groundbreaking podcast with unfiltered, honest conversations about structural racism in health care and what we can do about it. The podcast features Aswita Tan-McGrory, Director of the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital as host, and interviews with experts in health care who speak candidly about the historical basis of racism in health, current events, and strategies for dismantling disparities.
» Listen to the podcast

Archived webinar – Rural Research Gateway: Understanding the Ground: Social Determinants of Health in Rural Populations
Webinar presenters discussed some of the key elements associated with health across rural white and minority populations, such as education, income and health facility availability.
» Watch the recording
» View slides
» Read the transcript

Videos

Managed Healthcare Executive – Lloyd H. Dean and Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D.: The Need for Diversity in Healthcare.
In this video, Lloyd Dean, CEO CommonSpirit Health and Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., President of the Morehouse School of Medicine, discuss the need for diversity in health care and the importance of diversity when educating and training health care workers.
» Watch the conversation.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

For recent news articles, please visit our website. News about disparities and COVID-19 can also be found on CHA's Coronavirus Resources page.

PRAYERS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

» View a collection of prayers relative to the pandemic

If you have any prayers or reflections to share with the ministry, please share them with CHA.