Community Organizations Research Articles

Assessment of Public Health Impact of 20 Non-Research HIV Demonstration Projects by Use of the CDC Science Impact Framework, United States, 2018-2022.

Compared with traditional measures of scientific impact, the CDC Science Impact Framework more broadly, directly, and quickly assesses impact of public health science. For 20 CDC-funded HIV prevention projects that were conducted during 2018-2022, health departments documented impact, based on CDC Science Impact Framework domains: Disseminating Science, Creating Awareness, Catalyzing Action, Effecting Change, and Shaping the Future. Health departments reported 282 impacts: the most common were new partnerships (n=17, Catalyzing Action), capacity building (n=16, Effecting Change), new projects or initiatives begun (n=15, Shaping the Future), new collaborations (n=14, Catalyzing Action), improved program (n=13, Shaping the Future), new guidelines or practices (n=13, Effecting Change), and informed persons affected by work (n=13, Creating Awareness). Health departments documented substantial impact with a simple, timely, and broad approach. Demonstrating impact is important for community-based organizations, funders, and others interested in public health and helps them better understand the value of public health.

Implementation strategies to improve adoption of unmet social needs screening and referrals in care management using enabling technologies: study protocol for a cluster randomized trial.

Background Adverse social determinants of health contribute to health inequities. Practice guidelines now recommend incorporating patient unmet social needs into patient care, and payors increasingly reimburse for screening and providing related referrals to community organizations. Emergent electronic health record (EHR)-based tools can enable clinical-community linkages, but their adoption commonly faces workflow and infrastructure barriers. Targeted implementation support such as training, championship, practice facilitation, and audit and feedback, can enhance such tools' adoption, but no prior research has assessed such strategies' impact on the adoption of 'enabling technologies' supporting clinical-community linkages. This study will test whether providing targeted implementation support to safety-net primary care health center care management teams improves the sustained adoption of EHR-based enabling technologies used to 1) screen for social needs and 2) link patients to community organizations. Methods Formative evaluation of barriers and facilitators to adopting EHR-enabled social needs referrals and ascertainment of services received will include semi-structured interviews and a 'guided tour' of enabling technology used by care managers serving patients with complex health and/or social needs. A modified Delphi process conducted with care management staff and subject matter experts will then inform the development of an intervention targeting adoption of social risk EHR-enabled tools. The intervention will be piloted in three health centers, refined, then tested in a pragmatic stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial in 20 health centers (five wedges of four health centers) that provide care management to high-risk patients with social needs. Discussion This study is among the first to evaluate an intervention designed to support care management teams' adoption of enabling technologies to increase clinical-community linkages. It was funded in September 2023 by the National Institute of Nursing Research. Formative activities will take place from January to June 2024, the intervention will be developed in July-December 2024, the pilot study will be conducted from January-March 2025, and the cluster-randomized trial will occur from July 2025 -September 2026. Study data will be analyzed and results disseminated in 2027-2028. Study results have the potential to improve clinical-community linkages and in so doing to advance health equity. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov registration # NCT06489002. Registered July 5, 2024, https//clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06489002?term=NCT06489002&rank=1.

Blinders of extreme heat adaptation: uneven urban development and the reproduction of vulnerabilities

ABSTRACT Despite its deadly nature, extreme heat has received fragmented and scattered responses in cities, often overlooking the crucial social and equity components. Dominant adaptation approaches have paid little attention to chronic socio-economic vulnerabilities to heat stress, resulting in a lack of strategic planning to address them. Building upon critical urban studies and adaptation scholarship, this article examines how the dynamics of urban climate adaptation in the Global North have sidestepped the root causes of heat vulnerability and their (re)production in past, present and future practices of uneven urban development and planning under austerity. We investigate this empirically in attending to the framing of adaptation, the instruments used and the biases they introduce in Montreal (Canada), as well the perception from planners and community groups regarding their agency in responding to extreme heat. We contribute to the literature in analysing how the urban governance of adaptation in urban planning tends to silence the social production of vulnerabilities by three intersecting processes: the biases of instruments used, the unacknowledged legacies of uneven urban development, and the lacking recognition and support for community organisations caring practices.

Navigating the Modern Libraryscape: The Changing Roles, Labor, and Education of Public Librarians

Public libraries and their staff have recently faced a wide array of challenges. Some of these challenges include supporting services for incarcerated individuals, unhoused patrons, and others experiencing crises (American Library Association, 2023; Gross et al., 2024; Knox, 2023; Wahler and Johnson, 2024). These recent challenges give us, as scholars and educators, an opportunity to take a step back and trace the dynamic work of public library professionals. In response, public library workers take on a variety of tasks. These may involve connecting patrons to social service resources, partnering with community organizations, or creating programs to support specific community needs and interests. Some of this work undertaken by public library staff involves routine, everyday tasks. Other labor is in response to community crises. Understanding this work is central to our ability to consider how the realities of public library work impact LIS scholarship and education. This panel provides a space for open conversation among panelists and the ALISE community to address the following overarching questions: What does the work of public librarianship look like, in terms of roles and labor? How can a better understanding of these roles and the reality of public library work inform how we approach LIS scholarship and teaching? Our panel will consider several aspects of public library work, with a view toward connecting theory, research, and practical workforce preparation.

Pay Attention to Hypertension (PAtH): Findings from a cardiovascular health promotion intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities participating in Special Olympics programming.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects adults globally. People with intellectual disabilities (PWID) may be at higher risk of CVD and associated risk factors (e.g. obesity, hypertension, and diabetes). We developed Pay Attention to Hypertension (PAtH), a cardiovascular health promotion intervention, and tested its impact on changes in blood pressure (BP), lifestyle behaviours and health-related empowerment among PWID. PAtH was developed with a Special Olympics community organisation that supports PWID in developing self-confidence and social skills through participation in sports. The 6-month intervention consisted of 1-h individualised virtual sessions delivered monthly by nursing students/novice nurses. Sessions covered specific themes, including monitoring BP, adopting healthy lifestyles and managing stress, and were individually tailored to the capacities and needs of participants. A single group pre-post-intervention design was used to assess the intervention's effects among participants who completed the intervention and data collection. Data included baseline and follow-up BP measurements from 7-day logbooks and questionnaires assessing lifestyle behaviours [physical activity (PA), screen time and diet], and health-related empowerment. Seventy-four participants were included in the analyses. Between baseline and follow-up, there were no changes in systolic and diastolic BP, PA or leisure screen time. The proportion of participants who reported adding salt when cooking decreased from baseline to follow-up (19.7% vs. 12.7%, P=0.034), and we found improvements for several items measuring health-related empowerment (P≤0.003). Improvements in health-related empowerment were found following PAtH. More intensive interventions may be needed to result in changes in lifestyle behaviours and BP. The integration of adapted cardiovascular health promotion initiatives within well-established community organisations such as Special Olympics is a promising avenue to contribute to cardiovascular health promotion among PWID.

A framework of data curation competencies

Over the last decade, the library and information science (LIS) field has driven data curation education, research, and practice. As the field continues to grow and new techniques and technologies are developed, there is a need to evaluate current data curation practices to understand the important data curation competencies that should be taught to LIS students. This research expands our understanding of data curation competencies, skills, and technical tools and provides a data curation competencies framework. This data curation competencies framework was developed through 1) a systematic literature review and 2) focus groups with strategic stakeholders. For the systematic literature review, over 1,400 documents were reviewed, with 43 deemed relevant. Relevant documents described the competencies needed to conduct data curation activities, and from these findings, the initial competencies framework was created. The framework consists of twenty specific competencies organized into data curation activities, technical skills, and soft skills related to data curation. Secondly, focus groups were held with strategic stakeholders (educators, practitioners, and community organizations) to provide feedback on the overall structure of the competencies framework and input on the competencies necessary to working with community data. As this framework extends our current understanding of data curation competencies, it can also be utilized in both research and curriculum development. Currently, this framework is being utilized to create and test a pilot community data curation curriculum with LIS students and will be disseminated for LIS educators to incorporate into their curriculum.

Navigating Information Equity, Access, and Literacy in the Context of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

In today's interconnected world, the ability to access and critically analyze information is essential for fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. This proposal seeks to explore challenges and strategies related to information literacy amidst political and policy confrontations to continuously achieve fundamental principles. Objectives:•Highlight the importance of information literacy in promoting diverse perspectives and combating bias.•Discuss strategies for equitable access to accurate information, particularly for marginalized communities.•Explore the role of media and education in shaping inclusive narratives and fostering informed dialogue.•Address the impact of misinformation and polarization on efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Panel Topics:Understanding Information Literacy: Define information literacy and its significance in empowering individuals to navigate complex information landscapes. Promoting Diverse Perspectives: Examine how access to diverse sources and viewpoints contributes to a more inclusive understanding of societal issues. Equitable Information Access: Discuss barriers to access reliable information, particularly in underserved communities, and propose solutions for greater equity. Expected Outcomes:•Increased awareness of the importance of information literacy in promoting diversity and inclusion.•Identification of actionable strategies for improving information access and combating bias in media.•Inspiration for collaborative initiatives aimed at fostering inclusive dialogues and empowering marginalized communities. Audience:Our target audience includes educators, media professionals, community organizers, policymakers, and individuals passionate about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion through enhanced information literacy.

Forging Paths of Compassion

In the United States, Florida leads the nation in prosecuting minors, from direct file to reinforcing systems like the school-to-prison pipeline. While the Department of Juvenile Justice has made an active effort to move away from the punitive avenues to address juvenile delinquency, the local implementation framework outlined in Florida Statute 985 results in variability in utilization across jurisdictions, influencing the treatment and consequences faced by justice-involved youth. The study unveils the influence of congregation-based community organizations, particularly within the Direct Action Research Training network (DART), in advocating for the expansion of civil citation programs. Through comparative analysis and qualitative interviews, it demonstrates the effectiveness of congregational advocacy in shaping juvenile justice policies. The findings underscore the necessity of statewide standards to ensure consistency and address local challenges in implementation. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of further research into the impact of socio-demographic and contextual factors on program effectiveness and youth outcomes, providing valuable insights for policy development.

Insights From Community Organizations Collaborating With Government and Academia to Foster Health Literacy.

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted ethnic minority and other underserved communities, prompting the federal government to fund community-led health literacy initiatives. This evaluation shares challenges and lessons learned, and identifies best practices from community-based organizations (CBOs) partnering with academia and local government to support health literacy programming. In 2023, 20 representatives from 12 CBOs in Southern California responded to an interviewer-administered survey, including open-ended questions about lessons learned. We analyze text data to identify key themes. CBOs expressed a need for additional financial resources and technical assistance, including grantsmanship training, access to in-language resources, support to build and use in-house evaluation systems, and greater university oversight for student collaborators. Respondents highlighted the importance of community engagement efforts to build trust and enhance the uptake of programming. They also stressed the need for specialized training of community health workers engaged in health programs and the utilization of population sub-group data to inform policy and funding development to better serve communities' needs. CBOs are eager to partner with government and academia and acknowledge the need for targeted support and resources that can be facilitated through multisectoral partnerships. We offer recommendations and actionable strategies for funders and academia to create and improve equitable partnerships with CBOs. Partnerships that address the needs and systemic barriers experienced by ethnic minority communities will support local public health goals while fostering resilience and health equity.

A tale of two disasters: Unpacking how social learning from the Ebola epidemic shaped COVID‐19 response in informal settlements in Freetown

AbstractPrior disaster experiences often provide lessons for communities to respond to new disasters. In informal communities prone to disasters but conditioned within reactive disaster management regimes, residents and Community‐Based Organizations (CBOs) play immense roles in disaster risk reduction and response. In Freetown, Sierra Leone, limited government disaster capacities during health disasters like Ebola and the COVID‐19 pandemic occasioned community action led by residents and CBOs. This paper, utilizing qualitative data, draws on the social learning theory to unpack how residents’ and CBOs’ experiences with the Ebola epidemic provided profound lessons that contributed to the COVID‐19 pandemic response in two informal communities. Findings highlight how prior disaster experiences consolidate memory and generate attention, retention, motivation, and reproduction of lessons for future disasters. The paper also fronts how lessons from peoples’ lived experiences with disasters can offer pluralistic ways of knowing about disasters and responding to future risks through co‐productive and equitable strategies.

Conducting Assessments of Community-Based Programs for Individuals with Dementia and their Family Caregivers.

While the gold standard for intervention science is the randomized controlled trial (RCT), there is growing emphasis on the practical implementation and evaluation of evidence-based programs into community agencies. Assessment of program efficacy by community-based organizations can confirm planned delivery of services, implementation fidelity, and demonstrate positive outcomes, which can provide justification for funding. Methods and measures used in an RCT, however, often cannot be implemented in non-research settings and different approaches are needed. This manuscript reviews the emerging literature on program evaluation work and draws upon the authors' experiences conducting evaluations with three community-based organizations funded by Administration for Community Living to implement programs for individuals with dementia and their family care partners. This manuscript argues for an examination of the expectations of evaluation efforts for translation of research-based trials to practice and emphasizes three main strategies for assessment: (1) Development of brief tailored assessments; (2) Measuring fidelity of implementation of the program; and (3) Measuring acceptability of the program to clients.

Utilizing Health Literacy to Empower Latino Adolescents.

Latinos are a minority population that experience many healthcare disparities that impact their access to health-related services. Improvement of health literacy is one way that healthcare providers can positively influence health outcomes within this population. Changes in educational curriculum have limited student's exposure to health information and created a gap in knowledge. A presentation regarding health literacy and advocacy was created for a group of Latino adolescents at a metro area high school. The presentation was offered in English, providing education on how to obtain health information from reputable sources, best words to describe symptoms of illness, and tips to successfully advocate for family members who may have difficulty communicating in English. The overall experience of the students was positive and impactful based on engagement and anecdotal feedback. The hope is to continue to partner with community organizations and improve health literacy among Latino adolescents and their families.

Transmigration village development: the state and community organizations in rural Indonesia

Indonesia’s transmigration areas are recognized for failing to fulfill advancement necessities, particularly spearheading progress in remote rural regions. Despite the dynamic characteristics, Village Community Organizations (VCOs) have made transmigration village development more progressive and promising. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the engagement of VCOs, such as economic, women, and youth organizations, in developing transmigration areas. This study uses qualitative methods with data collection techniques in the form of observation and in-depth interviews in nine villages in Indonesia. A community-driven development approach was used to analyze the development of transmigration villages. The study further identified three main factors: social capital, education, and support from the village government for VCO initiatives. These factors significantly influenced the actions to foster development within each transmigration village. The results provided significant insights into the crucial role of VCOs in empowering transmigration areas. This study recommends that policymakers apply this model to encourage greater community involvement, where strengthening resources in VCOs will increase community participation in sustaining rural development. The study further complemented previous publications by examining the role of VCOs, which was neglected in developing countries such as Indonesia.

Legal Review of the Granting of Mining Business Licenses to Religious Organizations

The government, through Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 25 of 2014 concerning amendments to Government Regulation Number 96 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Mineral and Coal Mining Business Activities, provides special rights for Religious Organizations to obtain mineral and coal IUPs without having to go through an auction process. This research aims to examine and analyze legal reviews regarding the granting of mining business permits to religious community organizations. The problem formulation in this research consists of: 1). What are the dynamics and problems of granting mining business permits to religious organizations? 2). How is the use of mining business permits in accordance with the principles of justice and equality? The research method used in this research is doctrinal legal research. The results of this research conclude that: 1). The dynamics and problems of granting mining business permits to Religious Organizations are: First, the potential for silencing public supervision. Second, the low level of experience and competence of Religious Organizations in managing mineral and coal mining. Third, the auction process is set aside by eliminating the auction obligation for Religious Mass Organizations in receiving IUPs. 2). Utilization of mining business permits in accordance with the principles of justice and equality consists of: First, the concept of implementing affirmative action for specific IUPs must be given to vulnerable communities. Second, the use of CSR should be an alternative for the Government to provide financial assistance to Religious Organizations rather than providing IUPs which have no rational reason to be handed over to Religious Organizations.

ʻĀina as resilience: mapping community networks and collaborative care in Hawaiʻi

This article examines the growth of Indigenous grassroots community groups across Hawaiʻi, whose efforts are pivotal to place-based climate change resilience and community well-being. Instead of focusing on specific ecosystem resilience actions, it highlights the people and places that make this movement of community organizations resilient, leveraging both social and cultural strengths to adapt to climate impacts. For many Indigenous peoples, climate change is not new; adaptation has already been integral to relationships between environment and culture. These changes require culturally responsive approaches, not short-term engineering solutions such as coastal hardening or stream channelization. A collaboration between a grassroots artist mapping initiative (‘ĀINAVIS) and a university’s community-based research project (‘ĀINA KUPU), this study utilizes a novel data index compiled using publicly available information to inform a series of in-depth student interviews with community groups across Hawai‘i whose mission, vision, and work are dedicated to caring for ‘āina. We find that these “ʻĀina Organizations” articulate climate resilience in multi-faceted and culturally grounded ways, maintaining reciprocal and mutual relationships with ʻāina, the Hawaiian term for land meaning “that which feeds.” Facing various challenges and needing different systems of support, our work maps the dynamic adaptability of ‘āina expressed through community networks of collaborative care with emphasis on the importance of intergenerational knowledge and genealogical connection to place shared and passed onto future generations. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of working on ‘āina as an exercise of Indigenous sovereignty, expanding climate resilience with cultural practice and social justice as both outcome and process of climate change adaptation.

“Tax Amazon, Not Working People”: Left Populism and Labor Organizing in Seattle

Abstract This paper examines the role of labor and community left populist organizing in the Tax Amazon campaign based in Seattle, WA, USA. As a case study within a larger project that examines manifestations of both right-wing and left-wing populism in urban spaces, the paper presents a lens through which urban populism may be examined in relation to new forms of labor organizing, with a specific focus on the dynamics of left populist resistance. The Tax Amazon campaign is situated within a longer trajectory of contemporary left populist organizing in Seattle. Emerging from a previous campaign that resulted in Seattle City Council instituting a $15 minimum wage, the Tax Amazon campaign brought together labor and community organizations to pressure Seattle City Council to introduce a corporate tax to generate funding for affordable housing initiatives. The campaign was met with resistance from the local business community, as well as some local trade unions. Being a leading corporate figure in this opposition, Amazon emerged as a key target of the left populist campaign. Through this study, we ask, what role did labor-community coalitions play in shaping the emergence of a broader left populist politics at the municipal scale in Seattle? Building from the experience of the Tax Amazon campaign, the paper reflects on the dynamics of resistance to corporate power through labor- and community-based left populist organizing. Reflecting a shift in U.S. politics at the municipal scale, Seattle offers a key case through which to assess whether and how urban populism may give rise to new forms of labor organizing. The paper also considers the ways in which the simultaneity of the Tax Amazon campaign and the Movement for Black Lives to ‘Defund the Police’ expanded the scope of political demands in the context of Seattle’s racialized urban precarity. In its conclusion, the paper draws from the analysis to reflect on both the broader prospects and limitations of left populist organising.

Equitable outreach: leveraging a university–community partnership for fall prevention training with older adults in rural Texas

ABSTRACT Older Texans living in rural areas may face challenges in accessing resources and services not felt by their urban counterparts, especially related to fall risk reduction. In a state the size of Texas, entities wishing to serve these individuals encounter barriers due to the vast geography that must be covered to reach rural communities. This paper explores a novel partnership between a university and a community organization to work toward rural equity in fall risk reduction education in Texas. We apply the Interactive and Contextual Model of Community–University Collaboration to describe efforts to gain entry into rural communities, develop and sustain the partnership, recognize outcomes, and resolve threats. Through shared decision-making and co-creation, we show how university–community partnerships can be a powerful tool for promoting rural equity and ensuring older, rural Texans have access to fall risk reduction education.

Engaging Diverse African American/Black and Latine Youth and Emerging Adults Living with HIV into Research: Description of Recruitment Strategies and Lessons Learned.

Improving engagement along the HIV care continuum and reducing racial/ethnic disparities are necessary to end the HIV epidemic. Research on African American/Black and Latine (AABL) younger people living with HIV (LWH) is essential to this goal. However, a number of key subgroups are challenging to locate and engage, and are therefore under-represented in research. Primary among these are persons with non-suppressed HIV viral load, severe socioeconomic disadvantage, transgender/gender expansive identities, and refugee/migrant/immigrant populations. Research in community settings is needed to complement studies conducted in medical institutions. The present study describes the efficiency of recruitment strategies used in the community to enroll AABL young and emerging adults LWH ages 19-28 years. Strategies were designed to be culturally responsive and structurally salient. They were: peer-to-peer, social media, classified advertisements (newspaper, craigslist), subway ads, dating apps (Jack'd, Positive Singles), and direct recruitment in community-based organizations. Data were analyzed using mainly descriptive statistics and interpreted using a consensus building approach. We screened 575 individuals in a first step, 409 were eligible (71%), of these 297 presented to the second screening step (73%), but 112 were lost. Almost all presenting at the second step were eligible (98%, 291/297) and 94% enrolled (274/291). Peer-to-peer, dating app (Jack'd), direct recruitment, and craigslist were the most efficient strategies. Recruitment on dating apps was superior to the peer-to-peer approach in yielding eligible participants (OR = 1.5; 95% CI: 0.98-2.3; p = 0.06). The sample enrolled was diverse with respect to HIV viral suppression, gender identify, sexual orientation, immigration status, and barriers to HIV care engagement. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. Recruitment is a vital aspect of research and warrants attention in the empirical literature.

“The flames are 50/50 right now”: content moderation practices at the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States (1982–1990)

The timeline for the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States occurred parallel to the domestic shift of computing and the advent of DIY computer networking efforts. During this critical time, many activists and community organisers within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) spaces utilised computer networking, such as bulletin board systems (BBSs) and Usenet boards to facilitate information exchange within their affected communities. Due to the sensitive nature of the epidemic and often-vital need for up-to-date information, content moderation became an increasingly important issue on these boards. This paper uses varying archival methods to explore the development of content moderation practices, and the influence of HIV/AIDS culture, on bulletin board systems and Usenet boards, with a special focus on boards dedicated to LGBTQ+ content and HIV/AIDS information exchange.

Using Social Media to Recruit Participants in Health Care Research: Case Study.

This paper presents a case study describing the use of social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram, as a valuable tool for recruiting participants in community-engaged health care studies. Drawing on the experiences of our team during a qualitative study aiming to understand the needs of Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents as they transition to parenthood, we offer an in-depth exploration of our social media recruitment strategy. This strategy encompasses deliberate content creation and online engagement with local Indigenous community organizations and people. Through the implementation of this recruitment strategy, we successfully recruited 18 Indigenous fathers and 4 Two-Spirit parents to our community-engaged project. We learned that social media can be used to enhance recruitment by building community trust, engagement, tailored content for specific audiences, and adaptive strategies guided by data metrics provided by social media platforms. Our journey included several challenges, such as dealing with fraudulent participants, navigating budget and resource constraints, and facing recruitment limitations, which we also describe in detail. Our paper provides essential insights for researchers considering the use of social media as a recruitment tool but we are unsure of how to begin. Health care researchers may find our experience and recommendations helpful for developing and implementing their own effective social media recruitment strategy. Meanwhile, sharing our experience contributes to the broader understanding of the role of social media in participant recruitment.