COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases Engagement Initiative (COIDEI)

ackground: Although COVID-19 data that separates Pacific Islander (PI) numbers from the general population is limited, the states and counties that are reporting this data show that PIs are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. To address this disparity, PI community leaders from 10 states decided to collaborate to form the PI COVID-19 Response Team (PICRT) with technical support from the PI Center of Primary Care Excellence (PI-CoPCE), the only national health organization that focuses on and is governed by PIs. PI-CoPCE is currently housed with the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO). Proposed Solution to the Problem: To address these needs, the project team will engage PI communities and diverse stakeholders in COVID-19 and other infectious diseases (COID) research. Working with community, clinical, and academic partners in 38 states and all six US Pacific jurisdictions, the team will implement the COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases Engagement Initiative (COIDEI). Objectives: The long-term objective of the COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases Engagement Initiative (COIDEI) is to reduce health disparities related to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases (COID). To accomplish this, the team aims to: Facilitate an inclusive dialogue with diverse stakeholders to set and address COID research priorities Develop stakeholders' capacity to conduct PCOR/CER including conducting training, providing resources, and facilitating partnerships Disseminate current knowledge, research, and best practices related to COID