Evaluating Tuskegee University's Ongoing Response Strategy to Mitigate Direct and Indirect Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic by Using an Integrative Framework Analysis.

Abstract

The emergence of the Novel COVID-19 Pandemic has undoubtedly impacted the lives of individuals across the globe. It has drawn the attention of major public health agencies as they work intensely towards understanding the behavior of the virus causing the disease, while simultaneously establishing ways to curb the spread of the virus among populations. As of the time of writing, 7,949,973 confirmed cases have been reported globally; with the United States (US) contributing to 26.4% (2,096,902 of 7,949,973) of case infections. Additionally, 434,181 deaths have been reported with the US contributing to 26.7% (115,755 of 434,181) of case fatalities. At least 21.0% of these cases in the US belong to the Black Non-Hispanic ethnic group, resulting in an added burden to the many existing health disparities facing this Black population. Tuskegee University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Deep South, has a majority Black Non-Hispanic population that is disproportionally susceptible to contracting COVID-19. By conducting an overall evaluation of those initial and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response actions implemented by the HBCU, our study investigations support the basis for understanding and assessing the impact of implementing effective public health measures at a minority serving institution. The evaluation exercise has captured a unique framework model that can be used for analyzing direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic to the HBCUs. The framework has allowed for the identification of integrative and modular interactions among stakeholders, mechanisms and actions implemented by the university's leadership through appointed committees such as the Community Health Task Force (CHTF). The designed systematic framework was used to understand how the mitigating response actions taken by the HBCU contributed to keeping the institution's 'community family' as safe as possible through the existing pandemic. The framework model is a potentially effective tool that can be used to enhance the Institutional Infectious Disease Response Plan, and to develop policies necessary to manage outbreaks of a similar nature. Investigations also suggest that through the implementation of public health best practices and recommendations in accordance with those released by public health agencies, the burden of the pandemic can be reduced and community spread of COVID-19 prevented, when HBCUs strategically manage the interactions among its resources on campus.