Friday, April 26, 2024
4/26/2024
The project of the City of Tuskegee, Alabama, will have a ?rural? (as defined by the HRSA Office of Rural Health Policy) area of focus in its implementation of effective evidence-based health literacy strategies. The area of focus is made up of 14 predominantly African-American target communities, led by African-American mayors, with a total target population of 34,613 persons. Project activities will take place in the Black Belt of Alabama, historically home to "the richest soil and the poorest people" in the United States. The Black Belt has become a region defined by its dire socioeconomic situation, and typified by, among other factors, poor access to education and medical care. The culturally appropriate health literacy strategies designed specifically for these socially vulnerable populations in the Black Belt will enhance COVID-19 testing and vaccination rates as well as other mitigation measures. The strategies will include the use of telemedicine and vaccination information systems; simplified written materials, videos, patient education flyers, computer-based participatory processes, teach-back methods and pictograms, featuring youth and target population members; a health literacy training kit that will feature images of Minority Serving Institution project personnel as well as community influencers and members who have already been vaccinated; a communications strategy that can be employed by every local community, to include the use of a dissemination app, stationary and mobile billboards, social media, text messaging, geofencing, QR codes, mailers, hotline, and print publications; and, establishment of the City of Tuskegee COVID-19 Community Corps that will implement a "grassroots boots on the ground? strategy to meet community members "where they are". These strategies will advance Healthy People 2030 objectives that include a decrease in the proportion of adults who report poor communication with the ir health care provider; an increase in the proportion of adults whose health care provider checked their understanding; an increase in the proportion of adults whose health care providers involved them in decisions as much as they wanted; and, an increase in the proportion of people with vaccination records in an information system.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
