JANUARY 3, 2021 — Professor Erica Sosa is leading a team of researchers from The University of Texas at San Antonio in a new health literacy initiative. The project, funded by a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), aims to stem the tide of COVID-19 infection among minority and underserved residents of San Antonio and Bexar County.
Working in collaboration with the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and UT Health San Antonio, Sosa will co-develop a plan to increase the availability, acceptability and use of vital information and services by Latinos and African Americans living in 22 local priority zip codes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Focusing efforts on underserved and minority communities is critical because they are not only at higher risk of COVID-19, but they are also more likely to be exposed to misinformation related to COVID-19. We are happy to play a role in assisting Metro Health to measure the impacts of this project,” said Sosa, associate dean for research and an associate professor of public health in the UTSA College for Health, Community and Policy.
The study highlights UTSA’s commitment to forging strong research collaborations and HCaP’s mission of conducting research and drafting policy to tackle societal issues and improve human health.
The HHS awarded $250 million to 73 local governments as part of a new, two-year initiative to enhance COVID-19 vaccinations and other mitigation practices among underserved populations. The City of San Antonio and Dallas County were the only Texas governments to receive the grant.
Sosa will work with the COVID-19 Community Response and Equity Coalition to advance the program. The coalition was founded in 2020 in response to the toll that the pandemic has taken on San Antonio, especially Latinos. Coalition members UTSA, UT Health San Antonio and San Antonio Metro Health are part of the coalition’s Community and Stakeholder Advisory Committee, which is working to provide preventive health services to residents of color.
Metro Health will have administrative and fiduciary oversight of the program. UTSA will lead the quality improvement and project evaluation. UT Health San Antonio will co-lead the development of the health literacy plan with UTSA.
The joint project is named Health Confianza to convey what the health organizations aim to achieve: trust and confidence in health information and services throughout marginalized communities. The UTSA team will be measuring multiple indicators including, but not limited to, vaccine rates, vaccine confidence, COVID-19 preventive behaviors and health literacy in the target zip codes to see if the Health Confianza strategies lead to improved outcomes.
Sosa says the health literacy initiative is key to improving the public’s understanding of COVID-19.
“We are in a unique time when community members want information to make health decisions, but are overwhelmed with conflicting messages,” Sosa concluded. “We have an opportunity and responsibility to make sure community members are able to access scientifically accurate and culturally appropriate information to make the best decisions for COVID-19 and also in future health decisions.”
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Archaeology 201 will briefly go over the foundations of archaeology and related skills, followed by a different topic over the course of this week (like skeletal analysis, global cultures, and more).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusCraft a comic to create your own narrative and find your voice through storytelling. Participants will learn to create characters that are self-reflective and through a community lens.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusJoin the Student Involvement Center and the Whataburger Resource Room (Food-Pantry) for a service project! Help us prepare for the Roadrunner Days Move-In Market on Thursday, July 25 from 11 AM - 2 PM by assisting us with the following volunteer needs. We are preparing for UTSA's largest garage sale, but everything is free for our students!
BK Lot 5 Building (Next to Campus Garden), Main CampusCome enjoy a discussion on art as a self expression in the age of moving technology and telling your story with a community.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusThe UTSA Veteran and Military Office will be holding a social event for our new military-affiliated students to come out and meet our office, staff, and other students.
MB 0.100, Ground Floor Lobby, Main BuildingThe Student Union invites you to join us for Kickback at the Union, a fun event designed to get you acquainted with all of the services available in the Student Union!
Student UnionInterested in learning more about the different fraternities and sororities in the Multicultural Greek Council? Come meet our organizations and enjoy free food and music.
Retama Galleria (SU 2.02,) Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.