The Importance of Community Voice: Using Community-Based Participatory Research to Understand the Experiences of African American, Native American, and Latinx People During a Pandemic

INTRODUCTION: Although the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death rates on racial and ethnic minority communities in the US is known, information about how COVID-19 has affected these communities and how community context and perceptions can inform a better response to future health crises needs further exploration. To help achieve these objectives, we used a community-based participatory research approach to gain a better insight into African American, Native American, and Latinx communities. METHODS: From September through December 2020, we conducted 19 focus groups and recruited 142 participants. Participants were selected via a purposeful sampling technique. We used a phenomenology study design to conduct semistructured interviews, thematic analysis to code qualitative data, and descriptive statistics to summarize demographic data. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed the following 3 themes: 1) COVID-19 exacerbated mistrust, anxiety, and fear in racial and ethnic minority populations, affecting their mental health, 2) understanding sociocultural context is essential for emergency response, and 3) adapting communication strategies can help address community concerns. CONCLUSION: Amplifying the voices of people disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can help to inform a better response to future health crises and ultimately reduce health inequity among racial and ethnic minority populations.