Department of Health Promotion Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
Front Public Health. 2023 Jun 2;11:1156717. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1156717. eCollection 2023.
Despite the aggregated burdens and challenges experienced by rural Black women during the COVID-19 pandemic, many likely also demonstrated strength and resilience to overcome challenges. A mixed methodology and a community-based participatory approach will be used to collect multilevel data on challenges, responses, resilience, and lessons during the pandemic from Black women, community health workers, and community leaders in rural areas in South Carolina (SC). Specifically, the unique circumstances and lived experiences of rural Black women during the COVID-19 pandemic will be documented to understand their needs regarding effective management of social, physical, and mental health challenges through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with Black women, community health workers, and local community leaders recruited from rural SC communities. Barriers, facilitators, and potential impacts of multilevel resilience development will be identified through a survey administered among rural Black women recruited from 11 rural counties (with one as site for a pilot testing of the questionnaire). A report for public health practice will be developed, including recommended strategies to optimize health systems' emergency preparedness and responses through triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources. Findings in the proposed study will provide valuable references in terms of addressing social determinants of health factor challenges during the pandemic, fostering resilience, and informing evidence-based decision-making for policymakers. The study will contribute to the development of public health emergency preparedness plans, which can promote the resilience of women, their families, and local communities as well as optimize effective preparedness and response of health systems for rural Black women and their families during infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
尽管农村黑人女性在 COVID-19 大流行期间承受着综合负担和挑战，但她们许多人可能也展现了克服挑战的力量和韧性。本研究将采用混合方法和社区参与式方法，从南卡罗来纳州（SC）农村地区的黑人女性、社区卫生工作者和社区领袖那里收集有关大流行期间挑战、应对措施、韧性和经验教训的多层次数据。具体而言，将记录农村黑人女性在 COVID-19 大流行期间的独特情况和生活经历，以了解她们在管理社会、身体和心理健康挑战方面的有效需求，方法是通过焦点小组讨论和深入访谈黑人女性、社区卫生工作者和从南卡罗来纳州农村社区招募的当地社区领袖。将通过对从 11 个农村县招募的农村黑人女性进行调查，确定多层次韧性发展的障碍、促进因素和潜在影响（其中一个县将作为问卷试点测试的地点）。将制定一份面向公共卫生实践的报告，包括通过来自多个来源的定性和定量数据的三角剖分，为优化卫生系统应急准备和应对提出建议策略。拟议研究的结果将为解决大流行期间健康因素挑战、培养韧性以及为政策制定者提供循证决策提供有价值的参考。该研究将有助于制定公共卫生应急准备计划，这可以促进妇女、她们的家庭和当地社区的韧性，以及优化卫生系统对农村黑人妇女及其家庭在传染病爆发和其他公共卫生紧急情况下的有效准备和应对。
