COVID-19 infections are disproportionately higher among communities of color, nationwide (CDC, 2020). In Maryland, where 60% of the population is white and 30% is black, the rate of coronavirus infections is higher among African Americans (AA) at 49.4% compared to 36.9% among whites, and 13.7% among Asians and among other races (MD Department of Health, 2020). Likewise, AAs account for 53% of COVID-19 deaths within Baltimore's Northeast community (i.e. zip code 21215), and, in one of Baltimore's Health Enterprise Zones (HEZ) (i.e., 21216, 21217, 21223, and 21229) four of five infected residents are black (David, P., 2020). Low- income underinsured/uninsured AAs with COVID-19 symptoms often experience transportation barriers. Even when they are able to arrive at an emergency room (ER) they often are turned away (Shamus, K., 2020). Other members of this population elect not to go to the ER and instead deal with the painful COVID-19 symptoms at home. To make matters worse, the long history of segregation nationwide has forced many AAs into housing areas with limited access to local health clinics, healthy food options, clean air, and green space, all of which contribute to higher incidences of pre-existing illnesses, which increases the risk of experiencing more severe COVID- 19 symptoms. To address the aforementioned problems, the Morgan State University (MSU) School of Architecture and Planning (MSU-SAP), MSU Department of Psychology, MSU Department of Geography, AA biomedical company Juxtopia, University of Maryland, and engineering consulting company Contronic LLC, will investigate an innovative concept of rapidly renovating Baltimore's vacant/underused houses/buildings, located in lower-income Baltimore HEZ communities and zip code 21215, into temporary clinics. The goal of the project is to provide target residents with easier accessibility to culturally aware and competent healthcare services (i.e., local/community healthcare facilities and resources (i.e., healthcare providers)) to measurably decrease the health disparity in COVID-19 related infections and mortality rates in Baltimore. The MSU-SAP team hypothesis is that IF some Baltimore City-owned vacant/underused properties in HEZ and 21215 communities are renovated into hybrid clinics, THEN residents in those communities will have access to efficient and more culturally competent healthcare services compared to traditional healthcare facilities (e.g., ERs). To accomplish this research, the investigators will address the following specific aims:
Aim 1 : Assess the impact of the clinic-desert phenomenon on the COVID-19 outbreak in Baltimore Aim 2: Develop a methodology to identify optimal locations for potential temporary community clinics for testing, vaccination and other related healthcare services during outbreaks and pandemics such as COVID-19 Aim 3: Assess the feasibility of converting a vacant or underused building into a temporary community health clinic during times of public health crisis, such as COVID-19
In Maryland, where 60% of the population is white and 30% is black, the rate of coronavirus infections is higher among African Americans (AA) at 49.4% compared to 36.9% among whites, and 13.7% among Asians and among other races (MD Department of Health, 2020). Low-income underinsured/uninsured AAs, with COVID-19 symptoms often experience transportation barriers; even when they are able to arrive at an emergency room they often are turned away (Shamus, K., 2020). Further, the long history of segregation, nationwide, has forced many AAs into housing areas with limited access to local health clinics, healthy food options, clean air, and green space, all of which contribute to higher incidences of pre-existing illnesses, which increases the risk of experiencing more severe COVID-19 symptoms. To address the aforementioned problems, the Morgan State University (MSU) School of Architecture and Planning (MSU-SAP), MSU Department of Psychology, MSU Department of Geography, AA biomedical company Juxtopia, University of Maryland, and engineering consulting company Contronic LLC, will investigate an innovative concept of rapidly renovating Baltimore's vacant/underused houses/buildings, located in lower-income Baltimore HEZ communities and zip code 21215, into temporary community health clinics to provide target residents with easier access to culturally aware and competent healthcare services (i.e., local/community healthcare facilities and resources (i.e., healthcare providers)) to measurably decrease the health disparity in COVID-19 related infections and mortality rates in Baltimore.
