ICL’s Post

The issue of Health Equity is never far from the headlines. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, inequality in the health sector globally has always been a pressing matter, but now the conversation is gathering momentum. The City of Cambridge is home to many of our country’s leading health innovators – Cambridge Science Festival invites you to a day of Health Equity-themed programming and the opportunity to hear first-hand from industry-experts, thought-leaders and specialists about what’s next in this most fundamental field. https://lnkd.in/ea4JrYeg

A manuscript authored by OCHIN, Inc. researchers Arwen Bunce, Suzanne E. Morrissey, PhD, Molly Krancari, MPH, MA, Megan Bowen, and Rachel Gold, and by Oregon Health & Science University researcher Jorge Kaufman used a realist approach to evaluate the mechanisms through which a tailored coaching and technical training intervention impacted social risk screening uptake in 26 community clinics across the United States. #OCHINresearch #socialrisk #socialdeterminantsofhealth https://lnkd.in/g7TWP7S5

To improve health outcomes, it is crucial to understand the social determinants of health (SDoH) among diverse communities. Making members of these communities partners in, rather than the focus of, research is key in the lifecycle of research: from design to implementation to dissemination. Senior-authored by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute's Anjum Khurshid, a new publication describes "an adapted community-academic model that positions community members as partners in translational research to improve speed and adoption of innovation in health care". Read it online in Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action: https://buff.ly/3S411qP

This great tool developed by students from the Healthy Trajectories cohort of the FER Course in Australia is a simulated discussion on exploring your role as a partner in health research. It’s a simulated discussion with researchers and parent partners about their roles in research. Establishing open communication about parent partner roles is instrumental to a successful partnership. Whilst this conversation can take many forms, this simulation provides one example of a conversation and emphasises the need to be inclusive, respectful and flexible. https://lnkd.in/gfNJPGGE

In my academic research, I’ve explored the positive effects of cross-sector collaboration within public health and human services strategic planning – as an area of personal interest and commitment. A new report from ASTHO highlights the value of working across sectors to address public health challenges in rural areas. The report outlines how cooperation between government agencies, businesses, community organizations, and academic institutions better influence the interconnected social, economic, and environmental factors leading to health. In your experience, how has working across sectors positively influenced programs in your area? Leave a comment and let’s discuss.  

The marriage between quantitative and qualitative 👏 “Community-based participatory research is a collaborative research approach that involves the active participation and engagement of community members, researchers, and other stakeholders throughout the entire research process. It aims to address social, health, or environmental issues in a way that empowers the community, promotes mutual learning, and leads to sustainable solutions. CBPR seeks to bridge the gap between researchers and the community by valuing and integrating the knowledge, experiences, and perspectives of all involved parties.” #HealthEquity #PublicHealth #ChallengesInImprovingPublicHealth2023

My team works closely with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI). Dr. Canady, CEO of MPHI, wrote a very accessible and thoughtful guide to health equity called "Room at the Table." It's a gift to be able to read this book and I highly recommend it. One quote of something I need to work on: “listening is a vital skill to build authentic relationship across cultures. Silence becomes the catalyst for choosing your words. In many ways, our silence and listening hold equal importance across our words of power. In many power-based relationships, our listening is a stance of strength, even when we are socialized to enter the space as experts with all the knowledge and facts.” Once you read, share some thoughts or quotes that were meaningful for your progress towards health equity and justice. #healthequity #authenticrelationships #courageouschange

Thank you, Tasha Golden, PhD, Jill Sonke, and Alex Rodriguez, MPH for your strong work in developing, "An Evidence-Based Framework for the Use of Arts and Culture in Public Health." Supporting the application and advancement of arts and culture as partners in public health and enhancing our ability to further understand and amplify this work, they offer a framework that includes... "Six ways in which arts and culture strategies support public health: 1.    Direct health benefits 2.    Increase health service and access 3.    Create safe, inclusive, and engaging environments 4.    Support social, cultural, and policy change 5.    Enrich research methods and practices 6.    Strengthen health communication" https://lnkd.in/e6kWK8zV

How do we make professional community health workers (#proCHWs) the norm worldwide? In part, through research 🔬 Research is a tool to dismantle immodest claims of causality. To expand ideas of what is possible in community health. And to overcome institutional obstacles. Several operational questions are unresolved by current academic evidence. Often, high-level reports or randomized controlled trials don’t have enough health system detail. So there’s a black box of what’s producing the effect. By publishing evidence on proCHWs in peer-reviewed literature, we can more effectively influence normative guidance on CHW programs. So we tackle fundamental questions that couldn’t be answered alone 🙌🏼 Find out more about how we collaborate on research: https://lnkd.in/ewpRnTVW