Our Humanity: A Health Literacy Project to Improve COVID-19 Outcomes in Albuquerque, NM - Bernalillo County is requesting funding to expand its Our Humanity COVID-19 education and intervention program designed to bridge the communication, education, and access-to-services gap experienced in Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Indigenous communities in the City of Albuquerque. The health literacy campaign will focus on nine of Albuquerque?s most vulnerable neighborhoods (in five ZIP codes) and federally designated pockets of poverty: South Broadway, San Jose, Santa Barbara-Martineztown, Wells Park, Trumbull/La Mesa/International District, Westgate, South Valley, and incorporated area of Albuquerque Kirtland-Mountain View. The County and participating grassroots community organizations have committed to design, implement, and evaluate a community-based health literacy communication campaign about COVID-19 risk reduction delivered by trusted sources in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. The initiative will engage communities by disseminating tailored messages and increasing knowledge through a variety of techniques, including training for staff and volunteers of community organizations, town halls with health experts, listening sessions, and discussion groups with clergy, community leaders, and residents. Risk communication materials are delivered in native languages (English, Spanish, Tewa, Tiwa, Dine, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese) and communicated and displayed throughout neighborhoods (buses, bus shelters, churches, fire stations, etc.). Message delivery by existing community groups reinforces the messaging and increases access to information in places of daily activity. The program will increase vulnerable residents? ability to find, understand, and use COVID-19-related information; connect to community services that promote their health and wellbeing; engage with healthcare professionals to assess and inoculate against the COVID-19 threat and connect to other preventative health services; make inf
ormed health-related decisions and take action accordingly; and connect to economic supports that help to reduce burdens that undermine preventative health practices. A collective of community-based organizations have committed to lead the on-the-ground efforts and use their trusted positions among Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Indigenous residents. Lead community partners South Valley MainStreet and Casa Del Rey Ministries will coordinate education, outreach, and COVID-19 response interventions with a network of committed entities, including United South Broadway Corporation, Partnership for Communication Action, New Mexico Asian Family Center, International District Healthy Communities, Agri-Cultura Network, La Plazita Institute, and UNM Public Allies. These partners will work with the federally qualified health centers, First Nations Community HealthSource and First Choice Community Healthcare, to increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations and testing through mobile services and door-to-door canvassing campaigns. These efforts will also be designed to increase wellness visits and participation in preventative health care practices among Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Indigenous residents of the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. National partner URU The Right to Be, Inc., will help facilitate the overall program and develop content for education and outreach, including training, risk communication messaging, and community mobilization strategies. Independent racial equity researcher Monica L. Stigler will conduct ongoing process and impact assessments for external review and quality assurance. Project partners expect to see measurable increases in Albuquerque residents? knowledge about COVID-19, increased participation in COVID-19 testing and vaccination, increased involvement in preventive health services and practices, increased connection to anti-poverty initiatives, and increased commitment to proven community health methods.
