# Howard University Research Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities

> **NIH NIH U54** · HOWARD UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $193,751

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
Centers for Disease Control data continue to show that, in unadjusted analyses, Non-Hispanic Blacks, Indigenous
Americans and Hispanic and Latino persons have higher COVID-19 case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths compared to
Non-Hispanic Whites. The observed differences in morbidity and mortality do not appear to be adequately explained by
pre-existing risk factors. It is becoming widely accepted that COVID-19 disparities are, in large part, a direct result of
structural violence; defined as the built in differences in distribution of resources, education and literacy, medical care,
social and economic opportunities, and, importantly, power to decide. In keeping with recommendations that pandemic
response planning and readiness should include addressing social injustice, the proposed study seeks to lay a foundation
for a long-term response to the social determinants of health disparities that have been laid bare by COVID-19. The
population of interest for this study are African Americans in the DC metropolitan area with an emphasis on communities
that experience social, economic, and health vulnerabilities. To achieve our aims, we have convened a broad-based group
of diverse scholars, health professionals, and community stakeholders. This group will collaboratively create and curate
an information repository that will be used to create strategies to guide interventions to address the current crisis, with a
lens toward long-term change. We will test two specific interventions; both designed to increase research literacy and
promote community capacity for informed decision making about COVID-19 response behaviors including participation
in testing, clinical research, and vaccination. We hypothesize that messages that emphasize informed choice will promote
more favorable attitudes toward COVID-19 research and vaccination. The first intervention approach will convene
opportunities for researchers and community members to have frank dialogues about the quality and relevance of
emerging science and the unique ethical challenges presented by the pandemic. The second intervention will apply
evidence-based community health work interventions to address community information needs about COVID-19. These
community health interventions will also be responsive to everyday health and social priorities that might take precedence
over considerations of adhering to recommendations for COVID-19 response. We anticipate that these activities will
promote trust in using research information to make informed decision because the trust is not in the expert knowledge,
but in the individual’s ability to weigh the evidence and draw conclusions. We anticipate that this project will result in
important outcomes including: 1) replicable approaches for enhancing existing networks for engaging communities in
testing, follow-up care and social services to address basic needs related to COVID-19; 2) creation of a trusted COVID-19
communication network to reach...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10258671
- **Project number:** 3U54MD007597-32S2
- **Recipient organization:** HOWARD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** William M. Southerland
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $193,751
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1997-09-30 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10258671

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10258671, Howard University Research Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (3U54MD007597-32S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10258671. Licensed CC0.

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