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. 2020 Dec 4;69(48):1807-1811.
doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6948a2.

Multidisciplinary Community-Based Investigation of a COVID-19 Outbreak Among Marshallese and Hispanic/Latino Communities - Benton and Washington Counties, Arkansas, March-June 2020

Katherine E Center, Juliana Da Silva, Angela L Hernandez, Kristyn Vang, Daniel W Martin, Jerry Mazurek, Emily A Lilo, Nichole K Zimmerman, Elisabeth Krow-Lucal, Ellsworth M Campbell, Janet V Cowins, Chastity Walker, Kenneth L Dominguez, Bill Gallo, Jayleen K L Gunn, Donald McCormick, Cassie Cochran, Michelle R Smith, Jennifer A Dillaha, Allison E James

Multidisciplinary Community-Based Investigation of a COVID-19 Outbreak Among Marshallese and Hispanic/Latino Communities - Benton and Washington Counties, Arkansas, March-June 2020

Katherine E Center et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. .

Abstract

By June 2020, Marshallese and Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) persons in Benton and Washington counties of Arkansas had received a disproportionately high number of diagnoses of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite representing approximately 19% of these counties' populations (1), Marshallese and Hispanic persons accounted for 64% of COVID-19 cases and 57% of COVID-19-associated deaths. Analyses of surveillance data, focus group discussions, and key-informant interviews were conducted to identify challenges and propose strategies for interrupting transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Challenges included limited native-language health messaging, high household occupancy, high employment rate in the poultry processing industry, mistrust of the medical system, and changing COVID-19 guidance. Reducing the COVID-19 incidence among communities that suffer disproportionately from COVID-19 requires strengthening the coordination of public health, health care, and community stakeholders to provide culturally and linguistically tailored public health education, community-based prevention activities, case management, care navigation, and service linkage.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

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