Community Engagement With Vulnerable Populations
Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Volume 95, Issue 9. September 2020.
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted vulnerable populations disproportionately, including those affected by socioeconomic disadvantage, racial discrimination, low health literacy, immigration status, and limited English proficiency. African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans are dying at considerably higher rates across the country than whites.
Conclusion: The social and structural determinants of health have been understood for decades, and such determinants are also relevant to the disparities in health care that are exacerbated by the current COVID-19 crisis. The focus of multisector collaboration and community engagement should be to inform programs and policies that will eliminate the disproportionate impact of pandemics on vulnerable communities. Indispensable to such initiatives are collaborative, community-led solutions in removing structural barriers to health equity that currently exist.