NH75OT000054

Addressing COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities in Tarrant County, Texas

Tarrant County, TX is an urban area as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. It is located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and includes 2.1 million residents. Tarrant County is among the top 25 most populated counties in the U.S. The county is racially and ethnically diverse, with non-Hispanic white residents representing 45.3% of the population, Hispanics 29.5%, African American (17.9%), Asian (5.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (.9%), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents (.3%).

According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index, Tarrant County is .5475, indicating a moderate to high level of vulnerability. Low health literacy rates range from 37% to 65% according to the U.S. Census 2014-2018 American Community Survey. As of April 14, 2021, Tarrant County was also among the top 25 counties in the U.S. with the greatest number of COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine.

Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) has been a lead strategist in addressing COVID-19 in Tarrant County. However, several challenges have contributed to COVID-19 related disparities and minimized our ability to effectively reach high-risk populations, including racial and ethnic groups who are disproportionately impacted by other health issues, such as chronic disease and infant mortality. Utilizing quantitative and qualitative data, TCPH identified disparities in COVID-19 rates, vaccine registration, and vaccine access. Linguistically and culturally tailored communication messaging has been limited, and high reliance on technology has created barriers among those with limited English proficiency (LEP) and other populations with limited access to, understanding of, and experience with technology. In addition, limited data has inhibited our ability to understand the full extent to which members of the population have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and other health disparities. For example, as of February 2021, 45% of cases had no reported race/ethnicity data.

Work on this proposal will therefore focus on building internal infrastructure that will allow for more efficient data capture and communication across systems. This includes expanded outreach efforts, such as home-based testing, mobile testing, and mobile vaccination sites. Additionally, improving relationships and community trust through the establishment of a county-wide council will be prioritized to improve communication and the dissemination of information to reach more residents where they live, work, learn, play, and worship. These efforts are reflective of PHAB domains 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11.

Tarrant County

NOT APPLICABLE

93.354 - Public Health Emergency Response: Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response

CDC Office of Financial Resources (OFR) [HHS - CDC]

Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CSTLTS) [HHS - CDC]

Fort Worth, Texas United States

City-Wide

National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities (CDC-RFA-OT21-2103)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 05/31/23 to 03/24/25 and the total obligations have decreased 1% from $27,241,785 to $26,906,248.