Racial and Ethnic Differences in Openness to Communication From Local Faith-Based Congregations During Public Health Emergencies.

OBJECTIVES: During public health emergencies, people at risk of exposure or illness will likely be presented with extensive information about an unfamiliar topic and be asked to make decisions quickly. In difficult situations, people often turn to trusted leaders, including from their local faith-based congregation (FBC). We examined how people receive, interpret, and respond to health communication information from clergy and lay leaders from their local FBC during public health emergencies. METHODS: We analyzed responses to 10 questions from a 2021 nationally representative US survey. Porter Novelli designed the survey and administered it to 4510 US adults aged ≥18 years, of whom 3553 people completed the survey. We examined sociodemographic characteristics, trust of health information from clergy and lay leaders, and willingness to engage in health behaviors recommended by their FBC and receive health services through their local FBC. All estimates were weighted. We conducted bivariate analysis with contrast t tests for proportions at α = .05. RESULTS: More than half of adults (55.4%), including 65.8% of non-Hispanic Black and 58.8% of Hispanic or Latino adults, were members of an FBC. Among FBC members, a higher percentage of Hispanic or Latino (29.1%) and non-Hispanic Black (36.3%) adults than non-Hispanic White adults (20.4%) reported trust in their FBC for health information (P < .05). This trust translated into greater intent to engage in health behaviors promoted by the local FBC among non-Hispanic Black respondents (31.4%) compared with non-Hispanic White respondents (22.5%) (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Public health officials can consider ways to better understand how the cultures and practices of populations being served influence people's health perceptions and behaviors. Collaboration between federal, state, and local public health officials and FBCs can promote health equity during public health emergencies.

Transmission Analysis of COVID-19 Outbreaks Associated with Places of Worship, Arkansas, May 2020-December 2020.

The purpose of this study was to describe a statewide COVID-19 transmission involving places of worship (POWs) during the early phase of the pandemic. During the period of May 2020-December 2020, this analysis evaluated COVID-19 cases in Arkansas reported in REDCap for overall cases associated with POWs, cluster detection, and network analysis of one POW utilizing Microbetrace. A total of 9904 COVID-19 cases reported attending an in-person POW service during the early phase of the pandemic with 353 probable POW-associated clusters identified. Network analysis for 'POW A' showed at least 60 COVID-19 cases were traced to at least 4 different settings. The pandemic gave an opportunity to observe and stress the importance of public health and POWs working closely together with a shared goal of facilitating worship in a manner that optimizes congregational and community safety during a public health emergency.

Use of Service Learning to Increase Master's-Level Nursing Students' Understanding of Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities.

INTRODUCTION: It is important for graduate-level nursing students to be competent in the issues involved in the social determinants of health and health disparities and have the tools to address them as graduates. METHOD: As part of a nursing workforce diversity program, master's-level nursing students were required to participate in a service learning project exposing them to an issue not directly linked to health-long bus rides for students as a result of school consolidations-to achieve educational goals and objectives while providing a service to an advocacy agency. RESULTS: Eighteen students completed the project, providing the advocacy agency with firsthand accounts about the impact of long bus rides and in-depth reviews of literature on the topic and laws and regulations of other states. CONCLUSION: These results further support providing nursing students opportunities to fully engage with multicultural communities to gain a broader understanding of health disparities and social determinants of health.

Teleclasses: improve belonging, vitality, and health in church homebound.

Telemedicine or telehealth is a growing area of healthcare, using modern technology and communication resources. This nurse started a teleclass in her church to reach out to and connect homebound members using the telephone and conference calling. The results and health outcomes are astonishing.