January 22, 2021

Confronting COVID-19 in under-Resourced, African American Neighborhoods: A Qualitative Study Examining Community Member and Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice

Keywords (Tags): public health

Qualitative research conducted in under-resourced communities in Alabama found that Black community members highlighted concerns about contracting COVID-19 and noted apathy, difficulty with social distancing, lack of information, mixed messages from authority figures, and lack of PPE as barriers to prevention. Facilitators to coping with the pandemic included religious faith, increased physical activity, and a sense of hope; barriers included insecurity, mental health issues, isolation, economic hardships, lack of health care access, and issues with virtual schooling and church services, which were exacerbated by Internet connectivity problems. Facilitators to testing included incentives, clear information from trusted sources, convenient testing locations, and free tests, while misunderstanding, fear, mistrust, testing restrictions, and location of testing sites were identified as barriers. 

Bateman et al. (Jan 21, 2021). Confronting COVID-19 in under-Resourced, African American Neighborhoods: A Qualitative Study Examining Community Member and Stakeholders’ Perceptions. Ethnicity & Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2021.1873250