738: Barriers to Vaccine Equity, New PH Pros to Gather in Chicago

ROBERT JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, August 28, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

GEETIKA NADKARNI: 

One of the biggest highlights was our partnership with community action agencies.

JOHNSON: 

ASTHO's Geetika Nadkarni on work to increase vaccine acceptance and uptake among racial and ethnic minority populations in five communities. It was all part of the CDC's Partnering for Vaccine Equity Program.

NADKARNI: 

One of the things that was really innovative about this program was the flexibility that the funder allowed for communities to really select and implement strategies to increase vaccine equity in their communities that were most relevant, applicable to their own populations.

JOHNSON: 

ASTHO received a grant from the CDC to begin the work in 2021. The project is wrapping up in December. Along the way, the team discovered what prevents many people from getting their vaccinations.

NADKARNI: 

Some people just can't take time off of work. Some people are homebound. They don't have transportation. And some people are just too busy trying to make ends meet to really have the time and resources to make those appointments.

JOHNSON: 

Nadkarni adds, the CDC has proposed a vaccines for adults program, suggesting the ASTHO team's work could inform the new project if it receives funding.

NADKARNI: 

And if it does, we hope that it will build off the successes of the Partnering for Vaccine Equity Program. By continuing to be flexible, continuing to be community led, and using a whole health approach to integrate vaccination opportunities with other health services and resources.

JOHNSON: 

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and ASTHO has a couple of vaccine equity resources waiting for you via links in the show notes. There's a blog article and a toolkit. Be sure to check them out.

People who've recently joined the public health workforce will convene in Chicago next month for professional development and mentorship. The Open Forum Next Generation event is set for September 18th through the 20th. Dr. Mikeisha Oldson is with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, also known as NNPHI.

MIKEISHA OLDSON: 

I'm hoping that we are able to really convey and create a space where we can have proactive dialog and talk about collaborative initiatives, as well as a space to create robust pipelines for our early career professionals in the space.

JOHNSON: 

Oldson says attendees can choose from programming organized into five specialized tracks.

OLDSON: 

We are really looking to talk and cover cutting edge topics across public health. And in each track, we are embedding concepts of equity and giving voice to public health professionals that are otherwise not given the space or the seat at the table to be able to have these kinds of dialog.

JOHNSON: 

Oldson adds, there are plenty of good reasons why agency leaders ought to send their newer employees to the Windy City in September.

OLDSON: 

I would say, send your newly minted or early career professionals to Open Forum Next Generation, because there is an opportunity here to add so much value, to add professional development, as well as a space for mentorship, and kind of like a pipeline that will help reduce burnout, reduce - you know, high turnover rates.

JOHNSON: 

Connect with NNPHI and get more information by clicking the link in the show notes.

Also today, ASTHO has tools and resources to help you better support your workforce. O'keyla Cooper has that story.

O'KEYLA COOPER: 

ASTHO's workforce portfolio offers resources to help public health leaders build effective and resilient agencies. These tools can help you connect with peers, future professionals, and enhance your agency's workforce. Check out the full list of resources by clicking the link in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Finally, this morning, stay connected with everything happening in public health when you sign up for ASTHO's Public Health Weekly email newsletter. It’s a great way to get ASTHO's articles and products delivered direct to your email inbox every week. There's also a rundown of recent newscasts in case you happen to miss a morning. You can join the list using the link in the show notes.

Before we go, a reminder also to follow this newscast on your podcast player and connect with ASTHO on social media. We're on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

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.