Health Equity, Environment and Population Health Program (HOPE)

In late 2018, the HOPE Program was established by the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Institute (JLC-BBRI) of NC Central. The initial focus was on health equity, environment and population health within three counties approximate to the North Carolina Research Campus: Anson County, Cabarrus County, and Rowan County. The Program’s first objective was to identify strategies to enhance community health in all three counties and included technical and administrative assistance to all three counties’ public health departments. As part of its service commitment, the HOPE Program provided on-site epidemiology assistance to Anson County and Cabarrus County; they also provided an organizational analysis for Rowan County public health. In addition, the HOPE Program developed health equity maps for multiple counties to aid them in planning new health initiatives.  When the COVID-19 pandemic began to devastate our nation and state, the entire focus of the HOPE Program shifted to supporting the efforts of the JLC-BBRI’s Advanced Center for COVID-Related Disparities (ACCORD). Research efforts focused on COVID-19 testing and vaccination will continue at the HOPE Program, but the primary focus continues to be increasing health equity among historically marginalized populations.

The HOPE Program aims to develop and support approaches to health equity and build upon research that has assessed, measured and implemented approaches to tackle inequalities in health. Since its inception, the HOPE Program has worked to provide solutions to longstanding health disparities. The Program will build upon this foundation and ensure that research efforts are used to facilitate a learning health care system that:

• Translates research evidence into community actions
• Identifies gaps in health disparity research and conducts meaningful research in gap areas
• Develops high-level health equity mapping in every county throughout the state to identify places where health inequalities are impacted by social determinants of health and can be addressed by improved understanding of these factors 
• Disseminates our research evidence to facilitate knowledge exchange with our internal and external academic partners, health institutions, local public health departments and communities
• Responds to emerging situations (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) that aggravate existing health disparities

How the Program Supports Health Equity:

• Builds research based on population health equity and develops evidence-based solutions
• Sponsors community health interventions that address health inequalities
• Examines environmental concerns in underserved areas
• Provides direct technical assistance to enhance the capacity of the public health community

• Tier 1 Counties: Anson County, Rowan County, Robeson County, Vance County, Halifax County, and Warren County
• Tier 2 Counties: New Hanover County, Granville County, and Pamlico County
• Tier 3 Counties: Cabarrus County, Wake County, and Durham County

2021 County Distress Rankings (North Carolina Department of Commerce, 2021

Background

When the COVID-19 pandemic began to devastate our nation and state, the entire focus of the HOPE Program shifted to supporting the efforts of the JLC-BBRI’s Advanced Center for Covid-19-Related Disparities (ACCORD). During the pandemic, the HOPE Program and ACCORD teamed up and have provided COVID-19 testing to more than 4,500 people, collected over 2,000 surveys and delivered almost 5,000 COVID-19 vaccines. Using the new JLC/BBRI mobile health unit, these COVID-related outreach efforts were conducted at 75 sites where historically marginalized populations live, work and worship.

NC Central’s ACCORD aims to facilitate COVID-19 testing and conduct multidisciplinary research to study the public health and economic impact of COVID-19 on underserved communities of North Carolina.

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• Develop health equity maps based upon shared needs across counties in North Carolina 
• Establish relationships with health care agencies and non-profit organizations to strategize advocating policies that prioritize population health
• Disseminate chronic disease prevention and treatment resources to community stakeholders and partners
• Improve the identification of high-risk populations
• Accelerate the adoption of culturally appropriate evidence and practice-based guidelines in community intervention strategies
• Lead and implement alternative approaches to delivering population health interventions in diverse communities
• Create opportunities for applied research partnerships between NC Central and other academic institutions, non-profits, health departments and other community organizations