Translating knowledge into action: Community-centered recommendations from the RADx-UP COVID-19 Equity Evidence Academy virtual conference series.

Abstract

The Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics-Underserved Populations' COVID-19 Equity Evidence Academy (RADx-UP EA) was a series of virtual conferences hosted between 2021 and 2023 that assembled community members, researchers, and governmental leaders from across the US to discuss and devise ways to promote equity in COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Using community-engaged methodologies in its design and implementation, this series provided a framework and forum for community and academic partners to engage in collaborative idea generation and consensus building during a public health emergency. The ideas and strategies gained during the EAs were disseminated to inform future research and action related to COVID-19. This conference paper highlights the specific engagement approaches used and the themes and recommendations generated. This model and its findings have broad utility beyond RADx-UP and can be used by researchers and practitioners to inform and advance community-engaged research and practice in diverse public health settings.