Promoting Knowledge to Action in COVID‑19 Prevention and Engagement Among Underserved Communities

September 2020 - March 2022

PROJECT GOALS

Educate community members and increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Black, African American, and Latinx populations in 12 zip codes in Tarrant County

Community listening sessions in the Tarrant County area highlighted many challenges to COVID-19 prevention — including misinformation, low literacy, cultural and language barriers, and the urgent need for improved public health messaging.

We aimed to address these challenges by partnering with health workers to educate community members on COVID-19 prevention, as well as encourage participation in vaccination, prevention, and therapeutic trials.

We also hosted semi-structured focus groups to understand community norms for COVID-19 prevention, mistrust, misinformation, and attitudes toward vaccine and therapeutic trials.

Blue silhouette map of the state of Texas with a white circle centered on the map containing the number ‘1’.

Counties impacted Tarrant

PARTNERS Community Partners

The success of this Texas CEAL Consortium project is due to the dedicated work of our community partners. DFW CHW Association Fort Worth Barber Shop Tarrant County Public Health The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth United Way of Tarrant County YMCA of Fort Worth

Meet the principal investigator Emily Spence

Dr. Spence served as a Texas CEAL Consortium principal investigator. She is also the Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Health Equity and Associate Professor at UNTHSC School of Public Health.

Project team members

The following team members contributed to this project.

Teresa Wagner

Related Publications

Implementation of the Texas Community-Engaged Statewide Consortium for the Prevention of COVID-19

View this publication

The Texas Community-Engagement Research Alliance Against COVID-19 in Disproportionately Affected Communities (TX CEAL) Consortium