693: Lit Scan Examines Workforce Diversity, Vaccination Barriers Impact People with Disabilities

ROBERT JOHNSON:   

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, June 26, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. 

ELENA RIOS:   

The workforce in the United States is becoming more diverse but not in public health. 

JOHNSON:   

That concern is considered in a scan of literature focused on diversity and key words used to encourage students and professionals to consider work in public health. Dr. Elena Rios is president of the National Hispanic Health Foundation. Her group did the scan for the CDC. She says it reveals many potential candidates were unaware of careers in public health and argues for more work with black, hispanic, and indigenous students. 

RIOS:   

There should be more awareness building pathways earlier in schools, middle school, high school, as well as internships, mentorships, career development programs. 

JOHNSON:   

Rios says there's plenty of recent evidence to support a campaign to improve the diversity of the public health workforce. 

RIOS:   

I think the COVID pandemic showed how important it is for Hispanic and other minorities to consider being a part of the decision making process in public health. To help expedite culturally and linguistically relevant programs that can help our communities who are the essential workers. 

JOHNSON:   

ASTHO has a website to help connect agencies and potential employees, whether you're looking for people to hire or trying to find a job in public health, public health. careers.org has everything you need to make the connection, visit the site using the link in the show notes. 

Mass vaccination sites were common during the pandemic, but were they accessible to people with disabilities? And did challenges with access caused people who were eligible to delay or even forgo vaccination? Nassira Nicola is at the Massachusetts Health Department.  

NASSIRA NICOLA:   

People with disabilities are about twice as likely to say they couldn't get to a vaccination site, which speaks to physical and transportation access barriers, and also more likely to say they didn't know where or when they could get vaccinated, which speaks to information access barriers. 

JOHNSON:   

ASTHO and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities partnered to support the study. Nicola says people with disabilities are more willing to get vaccinations but less able to access them. She says that's hampering the emergency response and breaking down trust.  

NICOLA:   

If you get people firmly convinced they need a life saving Public Health Service, and then they can't get it, that erodes the relationship between the health department and the community at a time when we can't afford that. 

JOHNSON:   

Nicola says the findings could help direct the next response like this insight about where to offer vaccinations. 

NICOLA:   

People with disabilities that affect five or more different areas of their life are two and a half times more likely to prefer in home vaccination than people with only one disability. 

JOHNSON:   

Read the grant announcement using the link in the show notes.  

Also today, ASTHO has a new report, this one on COVID 's impact among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. O'Keyla Cooper has that story. 

O'KEYLA COOPER:   

ASTHO collaborated with Guidehouse and was funded by the CDC to examine the impact of COVID-19 on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Louisiana and Pennsylvania. The study's findings seek to improve public health surveillance, preparedness, response efforts, and Medicaid policies for this vulnerable group and future emergencies. For detailed analysis access the full report via the link in the show notes.  

JOHNSON:   

Finally this morning, the July 4 holiday is next week, we're taking the time to revisit some of our most popular stories. Join us as we present the best of Public Health Review Morning Edition. That's all next week here on the newscast.  

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That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.