From a Barber’s Chair, Trimming Vaccine Hesitancy. The first installment of the new video series, “Enterprise: University of Maryland Research Stories,” distills Dr. Stephen Thomas' work throughout much of the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage vaccination in underserved communities, while working to connect on a much broader range of health imperatives. (University of Maryland, 4/7/22)

Assessment of Structural Barriers and Racial Group Disparities of COVID-19 Mortality With Spatial Analysis. In this cross-sectional study of 3142 counties in 50 US states and the District of Columbia, the associations between different measures of social determinants of health and COVID-19 mortality varied across racial and ethnic groups (Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, and non-Hispanic White populations) and different community types (rural, suburban, and urban areas). (JAMA, 3/4/22)

Biden Administration Will Start Vaccinating Migrants at Border. Under the plan, officials will start vaccinating undocumented migrants without proof of vaccination who are apprehended by border officials, but not expelled under the public health order, in seven areas including San Diego, El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley. (New York Times, 3/28/22)

Highlighting COVID-19 racial disparities can reduce support for safety precautions among White U.S. residents. Reading about the persistent inequalities that produced COVID-19 racial disparities reduced fear of COVID-19, empathy for those vulnerable to COVID-19, and support for safety precautions. These findings suggest that publicizing racial health disparities has the potential to create a vicious cycle wherein raising awareness reduces support for the very policies that could protect public health and reduce disparities. (Social Science & Medicine, 3/29/22)

CDC: If you got J&J’s vaccine and booster, consider an mRNA shot now. Even combining a Johnson & Johnson vaccine with a booster of either Johnson & Johnson, or one of the two messenger RNA vaccines, wasn’t as strong as three shots of the messenger RNA vaccines in preventing emergency room visits or hospitalizations. (Washington Post, 3/29/22)

See also:

Public Health Employee Survey Reveals a Workforce Crisis. A national survey of public health workers shows a workforce reeling from the one-two punch of a historic health emergency and ongoing hostility from those they are working overtime to protect. Nearly one in three say they are considering leaving their organization in the next year, and almost half plan to leave or retire in the next five years. (Governing.com, 3/30/22)

See also: Community health centers facing acute workforce loss (Healthcare Dive, 4/13/22)

Association of State COVID-19 Vaccination Prioritization With Vaccination Rates Among Incarcerated Persons. By June 2021, states prioritizing vaccinations for incarcerated persons earlier in 2021 had higher incarcerated persons’ vaccination rates vs states prioritizing incarcerated persons later or not at all and vs the general population. Even after prioritization, 42.0% of incarcerated persons remained unvaccinated in June 2021. (JAMA, 4/12/22)

Community Health Worker Training Program. The purpose of the CHWTP is to support projects that will increase the number of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Health Support Workers and equip them with the skillsets needed to provide effective community outreach build trust with communities, support connections to and retention in care and support services, and other strategies to increase access to care and to assist individuals in prevention services, and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies in underserved communities. (Grants, 4/14/22)

Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity. Evidence for Action prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. We are concerned both with the direct impacts of structural racism on the health and well-being of people and communities of color (e.g., Black, Latina/o/x, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander people, and other races and ethnicities)—as well as the ways in which racism intersects with other forms of marginalization, such as having low income, being an immigrant, having a disability, or identifying as LGBTQ+ or a gender minority. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 9/9/21)

Underfunded Infrastructure: Impact on Health Equity. This paper explores the Digital Divide and other key social determinants that create barriers

to quality health care and lays out the government policies and infrastructure investments that are needed to address those barriers. (Telehealth Equity Coalition, 4/22)

APHA 2022 — 150 Years of Creating the Healthiest Nation: Leading the Path Toward Equity. Make plans to gather with friends and colleagues from around the nation, and world, for four days of insightful presentations, engaging activities and face-to-face networking. With more than 1,000 presentations, we’re covering nearly every public health topic. Plus, the 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo is the culmination of APHA’s 150th anniversary celebration, so we’ve got even more planned than normal for this exciting educational event. Abstracts are due April 30, 2022. (APHA, 4/22)

Introduction to Community Health Work Training. OCEAN-HP and Sinai Urban Health Institute, through the Chicagoland CEAL Program, would like to invite those that perform community health work – such as community health workers, contract tracers, vaccine ambassadors, resource coordinators, and promotores de salud – to sessions that offer an opportunity to learn helpful tools to support addressing a real community concern. The session will take place from 4-7 PM ET on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. (Chicagoland CEAL Program, 4/22)