Developing a broader agenda around health equity alongside Covid and moving beyond Covid
Research: We will use our research to identify the next iteration of our health equity work beyond Covid. By the end of 2021, EN&B will complete its community led, participatory action research project under the leadership of BU School of Medicine Professor Lance Laird. Community-based researchers, who themselves are the health promoters/organizers currently working with EN&B grassroots groups and communities, are evaluating the types and efficacy of messages regarding vaccines in local communities and assessing the current gaps that exist for immigrant communities to access quality, affordable and interculturally sound health care. The research will help us develop a health equity agenda beyond Covid. We will analyze challenges and pose solutions for immigrants to access some of the country’s finest medical institutions based in Boston, and well as identify priority areas of advocacy and education to increase community wellness.
Health equity agendas moving forward: We already address the social determinants of health in our vaccine work, helping communities address issues regarding insufficient health insurance, lack of transportation, immigration and/or housing insecurity, workplace exploitation, education inequities, domestic violence, mental health challenges and other issues. Moving forward, we will utilize the resources of EN&B grassroots groups, which can share strategies on one or some of these issues. We will transition EN&Bs medical health campaigns away from Covid and toward other prevalent health and wellbeing needs: cancer screenings, flu vaccine clinics, dental health and vision screenings and resources, health and housing fairs, and in general greater health care provider in ongoing community wellness activities in immigrant communities. We will identify key campaigns around which to collectively organize to increase immigrant health equity across our communities.