Feasibility of involving trained community members in community-based COVID-19 prevention measures
Description
- During the course of the current pandemic, it has become clear that the spread of COVID-19 is socially structured and culturally diverse residential areas are particularly affected. Thus, there is an urgent need for specific approaches to improve infection prevention and control in these settings.
The COVID-TCM project aims to investigate whether the use of specially trained community mediators (TCMs) at the neighbourhood level can improve COVID-19 communication and prevention efforts.
The district of Osterholz, one of the most culturally diverse districts in Bremen, was selected as the study site. According to health statistics for calendar weeks 38-47, Osterholz had the highest SARS-CoV-2 infection rate per inhabitant in Bremen (20.5/1000), about three times higher than neighbourhoods with high socioeconomic indicators.
As part of the project, trained health mediators will conduct interviews with residents of Osterholz about their needs and concerns during the coronavirus- pandemic. These results will be used to develop and implement appropriate prevention measures together with stakeholders from Osterholz.
The project is conducted within the Leibniz Living Lab (LLL), a participatory research center at the neighbourhood level, which was established as part of the long-term research and transfer strategy of the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIPS).
Funding period
- Begin: July 2021
End: July 2022
Sponsor
- German Research Foundation