RADx-UP CDCC Rapid Research Pilot Program: "Culturally-relevant Community Connections (C3) to Increase COVID-19 Testing in the Black/African American Community".

The pandemics of COVID-19 and racial discrimination in America have joined forces to illuminate inequalities in healthcare delivery and health outcomes of Black Americans. These pandemics have increased attention to the medical distrust, racism, discrimination, implicit bias, and unequal treatment that has occurred in this country for centuries.

Trusted venues such as barber shops and beauty salons are gatekeepers and facilitators of trusted information in the Black community. The investigators are addressing Health disparities through Engagement, Equity, Advocacy, and Trust (HEEAT) Research Lab partners with barbers and stylists for health promotion in communities of color. The investigators co-founded North Carolina Barbers and Stylists for Health Equity (NCBSHE), a network of barber shops and beauty salons serving primarily Black clientele throughout NC. NCBSHE is led by barbers and stylists, with academic partners serving the organization in non-leadership roles.

Due to barriers including access to care, discrimination, and medical distrust, engaging the Black community in health research and improvement activities requires a community-based approach. The investigators' novel approach integrates evidence-based strategies that will address these barriers to engagement. The success of this project in increasing the uptake of COVID-19 testing in the Black community will serve as a model for other health-related activities beyond COVID.

Research Approach

The investigators' current and prior work addressing HIV prevention among Black women successfully trained stylists in the community to bring awareness and knowledge of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The first three months of this COVID-19 project will focus on training stylists and barbers as Opinion Leaders (OLs), development of edutainment videos, and training of research staff. An NP will provide telehealth support to customers who test positive, and the Community Coordinator will facilitate the OL workshop. The workshop will include updates on COVID-19 in the designated testing areas, CDC guidelines for COVID-19, clinical presentation, prevention strategies, testing, and telehealth policies and procedures, and roles and responsibilities of an OL. An OL serves as a community liaison between the researcher and the community. They do not serve as interventionists but are informed of research practices and current studies taking place in their community.