Engaging With Communities — Lessons (Re)Learned From COVID-19
Lloyd Michener, Sergio Aguilar‐Gaxiola, Philip M. Alberti, Manuel Castañeda, Brian C. Castrucci, Lisa Macon Harrison, Lauren S. Hughes, Al Richmond, Nina Wallerstein
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has underscored longstanding societal differences in the drivers of health and demonstrated the value of applying a health equity lens to engage at-risk communities, communicate with them effectively, share data, and partner with them for program implementation, dissemination, and evaluation. Examples of engagement - across diverse communities and with community organizations; tribes; state and local health departments; hospitals; and universities - highlight the opportunity to apply lessons from COVID-19 for sustained changes in how public health and its partners work collectively to prevent disease and promote health, especially with our most vulnerable communities.