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CDU Faculty Release Report on Vaccination Equity in South L . A .
Student Represents CDU at NAHN Conference
Charles R . Drew University of Medicine and Science ( CDU ) and the University of California , Los Angeles ( UCLA ) Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine in collaboration with the California Community Foundation published the report “ Equity and Access : A Roadmap to Improving Vaccination Equity in South Los Angeles .”
The report advises and provides insights on how to reach communities of color and those hardly reached to educate , build trust , and disseminate vaccines in South Los Angeles given historical experiences with medical mistrust . CDU authors on the project include Professor Nina Harawa and Assistant Professor Dr . Dilara K . Uskup .
The project seeks to facilitate community , public , private , and governmental partnerships to reduce COVID-19 vaccine inequity and educate communities of color in South Los Angeles about the COVID-19 vaccines through virtual town halls . The study also has a goal to navigate communities of color in South Los Angeles on how to access available COVID-19 vaccines .
The team of CDU and UCLA researchers systematically gathered perspectives and experiences around COVID-19 vaccination access and equity from various sectors of the community . They focused on three key groups in South Los Angeles : community members ( i . e ., essential workers ), community leaders ( i . e ., clergy , faith-based leaders , and leaders of community-based organizations ) and community providers ( i . e ., clinicians and clinical providers ) for the focus groups and community education summits .
Click here to access the full report .
Beverly Ochoa , student in the Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing Track ( ELM ) program participated in the 2022 National Association of Hispanic Nurses ( NANH ) Conference in Miami , Florida . Ochoa was joined by nurses , students , speakers , presenters , panelists , and corporate partners from around the country .
“ I was able to network with some of the most inspiring nurses from across the country who work in various specialties ,” shared Ochoa . “ Everyone who I came across was very supportive and provided me with useful recommendations regarding the next steps of my career . This conference was one of the best decisions for me . The event was overall eye-opening and served as encouragement to continue moving forward with my education as the possibilities in nursing are endless .”
The 47th annual gathering consisted of keynote sessions , breakout sessions , and research presentations that focused on the theme Innovations in Care : Addressing Disparities to Create Equitable Outcomes , Navegando La “ Nueva Normalidad .”
The theme combines several key aspects of the current experience in Latino healthcare , including understanding the effects and values of advances in technology , addressing inequities in healthcare and disparities in patient outcomes , and self-care for nurses in stressful and traumatic environments – mind , body , and spirit .