Abstract

Communication network empowering communities to transform and reconnect (CONECTAR): Using public health strategies to connect our diverse workforce and advance health equity in our communities

Natalie Johnson, MPH¹, Gladys Pachas, MD¹, Efren Flores, MD¹, Claude Alabre, MD¹, Julia Healey, MPH¹, Sylvia Chiang, MPH¹ and Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH²
(1)Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, (2)The Commonwealth Fund, New York, NY

APHA 2023 Annual Meeting and Expo

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, health disparities experienced by historically underserved populations were exacerbated by the rise of health misinformation. To address this high-priority public health issue, a group of multidisciplinary, culturally, and linguistically diverse clinicians at Massachusetts General Hospital developed an initiative to disseminate timely, reliable, linguistically, and culturally appropriate health information.

Aims

Recruit clinicians to serve as a trusted resource to increase access to evidence-based information, provided in a timely, consistent and effective manner.
Strengthen and foster new community partnerships to co-develop cross-cultural, multimedia informational campaigns, and promote bi-directional communication and community engagement.

Methods

The Communication Network Empowering Communities to Transform and Reconnect (CONECTAR) team recruited diverse, multidisciplinary clinicians to develop and disseminate multilingual, culturally-concordant, and evidence-based information. CONECTAR leveraged and formed partnerships with local media networks with an established community presence to develop bi-monthly multimedia informational campaigns; addressing myths, promoting prevention and providing community resources.

Results

Formally established in October 2021, CONECTAR has achieved:

Cadre of diverse clinicians representing 25 specialties
Consistent presence on 6 diverse media outlets (e.g., El Planeta, El Mundo)
70 media appearances (e.g., FacebookLive) covering 40+ health topics, reaching over 500,000 individuals

Discussion

CONECTAR created a sustainable mechanism to develop and implement cross-cultural, multimedia informational campaigns, as well as availability for on-demand requests by communities for health information. CONECTAR’s engagement has demonstrated the importance for health institutions to be visible via consistent and diverse communication modalities. Providing ongoing institutional commitment to community partnerships is key to creating and sustaining a program that provides timely information in modalities best serving community needs.

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs Administration, management, leadership Advocacy for health and health education Clinical medicine applied in public health Diversity and culture Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs