# RCMI@Morgan: Center for Urban Health Disparities Research and Innovation

> **NIH NIH U54** · MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $188,693

## Abstract

COVID-19 infections are disproportionately higher among communities of color, nationwide
(CDC, 2020). In Maryland, where 60% of the population is white and 30% is black, the rate of
coronavirus infections is higher among African Americans (AA) at 49.4% compared to 36.9%
among whites, and 13.7% among Asians and among other races (MD Department of Health,
2020). Likewise, AAs account for 53% of COVID-19 deaths within Baltimore’s Northeast
community (i.e. zip code 21215), and, in one of Baltimore’s Health Enterprise Zones (HEZ) (i.e.,
21216, 21217, 21223, and 21229) four of five infected residents are black (David, P., 2020). Lowincome underinsured/uninsured AAs with COVID-19 symptoms often experience transportation
barriers. Even when they are able to arrive at an emergency room (ER) they often are turned away
(Shamus, K., 2020). Other members of this population elect not to go to the ER and instead deal
with the painful COVID-19 symptoms at home. To make matters worse, the long history of
segregation nationwide has forced many AAs into housing areas with limited access to local health
clinics, healthy food options, clean air, and green space, all of which contribute to higher
incidences of pre-existing illnesses, which increases the risk of experiencing more severe COVID19 symptoms.

To address the aforementioned problems, the Morgan State University (MSU) School of
Architecture and Planning (MSU-SAP), MSU Department of Psychology, MSU Department of
Geography, AA biomedical company Juxtopia, University of Maryland, and engineering
consulting company Contronic LLC, will investigate an innovative concept of rapidly renovating
Baltimore’s vacant/underused houses/buildings, located in lower-income Baltimore HEZ
communities and zip code 21215, into temporary clinics. The goal of the project is to provide target
residents with easier accessibility to culturally aware and competent healthcare services (i.e.,
local/community healthcare facilities and resources (i.e., healthcare providers)) to measurably
decrease the health disparity in COVID-19 related infections and mortality rates in
Baltimore. The MSU-SAP team hypothesis is that IF some Baltimore City-owned
vacant/underused properties in HEZ and 21215 communities are renovated into hybrid clinics,
THEN residents in those communities will have access to efficient and more culturally
competent healthcare services compared to traditional healthcare facilities (e.g., ERs). To
accomplish this research, the investigators will address the following specific aims:
Aim 1: Assess the impact of the clinic-desert phenomenon on the COVID-19 outbreak in
Baltimore
Aim 2: Develop a methodology to identify optimal locations for potential temporary community
clinics for testing, vaccination and other related healthcare services during outbreaks and
pandemics such as COVID-19
Aim 3: Assess the feasibility of converting a vacant or underused building into a temporary
community health clinic during times of public health c...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10240953
- **Project number:** 3U54MD013376-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Hongtao Yu
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $188,693
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-07-31 → 2024-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10240953

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10240953, RCMI@Morgan: Center for Urban Health Disparities Research and Innovation (3U54MD013376-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10240953. Licensed CC0.

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