COVID-19's Impact on Community Resilience Practice: Lessons Learned from an Academic-Community-Government Partnership...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Community Health

Background:

• Essential for viral hepatitis elimination: coordinating community health efforts during public health crises.
• An academic-community-government (ACG) partnership was established to enhance hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening and vaccination infrastructure.
• Targeted at-risk communities within the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe challenges and innovative adjustments made by the ACG partnership.
• To ensure continued HBV prevention modalities during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Key informant interviews were conducted.
• Assessed program implementation facilitators and barriers.

Main Results:

• Identified three thematic categories: innovations in hepatitis screening, access and linkage to care, and collaborative leadership.
• Key lessons learned include identifying care gaps, fostering safe environments, and enhancing health IT infrastructure.
• The partnership demonstrated agility and responsiveness to community needs despite the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Sustaining effective ACG partnerships requires regular, transparent communication.
• Shared and equal decision-making opportunities are crucial for ACG partnership success.
• The ACG partnership successfully adapted to provide critical HBV prevention services during a major public health crisis.