Northwest Arkansas has recently seen a significant spike in COVID-19 cases. Minority communities, in particular, have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
The Latinx population accounts to about 45% of all covid-19 cases in Northwest Arkansas. The Marshallese community accounts to about 18% of these cases. This is about 400% higher than we would expect to see given their representation in the community. In addition, the severity of covid-19 symptoms have resulted in much higher rates of hospitalization and death from covid-19 among Marshallese patients.
Because covid-19 has a disparate impact on these communities, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and its community partners in Northwest Arkansas saw the need to respond rapidly to do our best to meet these needs.
UAMS and our partners have established a covid-19 call center in Nortwest Arkansas to serve Marshallese- and Spanish-speaking community members. We have established a partnership with Community Clinic for referral, screening and community education to best meet the needs of the Marshallese- and Spanish-speaking community. UAMS has translated more than 20 covid-19 educational materials into Marshallese and Spanish, and is providing education in Spanish and Marshallese via YouTube, Facebook Live, radio and television. UAMS is working with a Marshallese covid-19 task force and a Latinx covid-19 task force. UAMS and our partners have also delivered food boxes to more than 1,000 households that are food insecure and quarantined.
However, so much more needs to be done. Working with the Northwest Arkansas Health Care Transformation Division, UAMS and our partners are looking to do even more. We believe a key component of ensuring a thriving economy for Arkansas is a dedicated Northwest Arkansas COVID-19 Comprehensive Response Plan for Special Populations that ensures a collaborative effort for Northwest Arkansas testing, contact tracing, health education and an enhanced case management approach for special populations, which would include:
• Component 1: A collaborative approach to testing in a distributed manner that leverages the current resources and ensures culturally and linguistically appropriate testing for special populations.
• Component 2: A dedicated contact tracing center in Northwest Arkansas with bilingual Spanish and Marshallese staff that fully coordinates with Arkansas Department of Health software, policies, procedures and sub-contractors, and fully integrates with employers to support the workforce.
• Component 3: Culturally appropriate health education in Marshallese and Spanish that is consistent with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines delivered via alternative media sources by trusted community leaders.
• Component 4: Enhanced case management to ensure connections with services to ensure special populations are connected to the resources they need to effectively self-quarantine.
Through our extensive collaboration over several decades and with our recent and rapid coordinated response to covid-19, the members of the Northwest Arkansas Health Care Transformation Division are uniquely situated to establish a comprehensive regional response to testing, contact tracing, health education and coordination for special populations in Northwest Arkansas. We are committed to working with the governor, state and municipal authorities, and the Department of Health to provide the most effective care to people affected by covid-19.
Together, we can support all of our community members.
Pearl McElfish, Ph.D. is a vice chancellor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest Region