Abstract

COVID-19 impact on mental health, healthcare access and social wellbeing - a Black community case study

Olihe Okoro, Phd, MPH¹, Janet Kennedy², Renee Roberts¹, Taiwo Aremu, MD, MPH¹ (1)University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, (2)Health Equity Northland, Duluth MN

APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic disparately affected by the Black/African American population. In addition to the higher infection rates and worse outcomes, there were other unintended consequences of the pandemic. One of the study objectives was to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the Black/African American community.

Methods
The needs assessment was a mixed-methods approach. To address this specific study objective, two item included in the survey questionnaire asked respondents (n = 183) about their greatest worry and other worries related to COVID-19, respectively. Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to further explore individual and community perceptions of COVID-related impact. Survey data was summarized with frequencies and proportions. Transcripts were analyzed for themes.

Findings
The areas of greatest concern were Health (41.0%), Family (25.1%), Finances (8.2%), and Education (4.9%). Emerging themes revealed impact on mental health and wellness [exacerbation of pre-existing conditions, enhancement of well-being (for some), socioeconomic associated stressors]; healthcare access and utilization [lack of insurance, racism in healthcare, inequitable information access, transportation]; and social aspects of life [disruptions, dissociation, loss of social support, increased community-led support]. The worsening of mental health for many, and healthcare access-related challenges, were associated with pre-existing structural inequities.

Conclusion
Addressing structural inequities must be prioritized in efforts to achieve health equity. The increased community-led support and the disruption of the social cohesiveness of the community, both emphasize the importance of culture in the population health of communities of color, further supporting the need for culturally-responsive, strength-based public health interventions when targeting these communities.