Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science (AXIS) - Administrative Supplement

SUMMARY/ABSTRACTUnderserved and under-resourced African American (AA) communities face two major COVID-19 relatedchallenges during this pandemic. One major challenge, at the community level, is the increased risk ofoutbreaks of COVID-19 at faith-based gatherings. The second major challenge is the negative impact of thispandemic on the management of chronic conditions, particularly older adults with co-morbidities andunderlying conditions. AA older adults, specifically those managing comorbidities and social isolation, are oneof the most vulnerable groups susceptible to COVID-19 infection and have the most severe and criticalconsequences of this pandemic. AA older adults with co-morbidities, who heavily rely on county-based safety-net facilities, have had to change their patterns of seeking required medical care to manage their chronicconditions, including delaying, reducing, or stopping visits to primary and specialty providers, or to a pharmacyto obtain medication and treatment. Reduced routine access to health care providers and prescribedmedications, coupled with risky health behaviors during the pandemic, may substantially exasperate existingdisparities in healthcare utilization, non-adherence to management of chronic conditions, unhealthy lifestyles,and poorer health outcomes among underserved AA older adults. This multilevel, multidisciplinary,theoretically-based, culturally sensitive, community participatory intervention addresses these challenges intwo phases. In Phase One, we collaborate with 10 AA church leaders on implementing Federal and State(California) public health guidelines for churches for reducing COVID-19 risk in predominantly AA churches inSouth Los Angeles, potentially impacting over 3,000 parishioners. In addition, we collaborate with 10 AAchurches to train 30 church-based AA young adults as health advisors to master information about COVID-19and its impact on the daily life of underserved AAs, particularly, older adults with underlying multimorbidity orsocial isolation. In Phase Two, we recruit 265 AA older parishioners to receive a telehealth-based culturallyand spiritually sensitive intervention that provides health coaching and support. The goal of this phase is tomitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on the management of chronic health conditions, and to reducehealthcare avoidance behaviors and psychological distress caused by the pandemic. This study buildssustainability for the AA community with the training of 30 AA church-based health advisors who will be avaluable community resource as they can continue to provide coaching and support after the intervention.Through collaboration with AA church leaders in South Los Angeles, we ensure that AA ministerial leaders areat the forefront of our efforts to assist in the development of a healthy community. This intervention seeks tohelp one of the most vulnerable populations impacted by COVID-19 and is strongly endorsed by the CaliforniaBlack Health Network.