Public health leaders need to influence change to serve underserved populations, such as people who have a disability. Action research was conducted with a community of practice (CoP) from Ohio to examine readiness, capacity building, and capacity factors needed for public health partners to more fully include people who have a disability (PWD) in state smoking cessation efforts. Five conditions fostered readiness, capacity building, and capacity among public health partners to include PWD: (1) successful timing of effort, (2) facilitation of discussions, (3) systematic reflection, (4) sufficient support, and (5) personal commitment of participants. Nine factors of readiness, capacity building, and capacity influenced inclusion of PWD: (1) positive perception and quality interactions with partners, (2) contact with organizations, (3) recognition of need to coordinate, (4) engagement in a network, (5) practical collaboration experience, (6) continuing education, (7), critical reflection time, (8) dedicated staff, and (9) knowledge of priority population. Readiness, capacity, and capacity building were interconnected and supported inclusion of PWD in public health efforts. Ohio public health partners used these factors and conditions to achieve the first mandatory disability awareness training for all National Jewish Health Quitline counselors. Future efforts addressing other specific demographic groups that experience health disparities can use these findings.
Introduction: In the USA, approximately 45% of pregnancies are unintended. Accessing quality contraceptives can be a barrier for some individuals, especially low-income, uninsured, minority or younger women. These problems are exacerbated in 1 of 8 services offered, lack of knowledge about birth control, misinformation and misconceptions, education on birth control, and care model.
Conclusion:The cultural context of Southwest Virginia, including the cultural conservatism and stigma associated with talking about sex, has a big impact on people's willingness to access contraceptive services. Stigma limits educational opportunities being offered in schools, therefore limiting people's knowledge about services and birth control methods. This FQHC has adapted to their surrounding culture by ensuring that every woman seeking primary care at the FQHC is screened for contraceptive need, offered contraceptive counseling and comprehensive contraceptive methods. This FQHC's integration of contraceptive services is a model that can be replicated by other FQHCs, by local health departments, and by private physicians.
N ow is the time for systems change leadership in public health. Emergencies such as COVID-19 plague our communities with premature, preventable, and unequal and unjust burden of morbidity and mortality, especially for communities of color. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are experiencing a climate emergency, inadequate food systems, a growing burden of mental health problems, and a rise in low-wage, precarious work. 1 Rather than trying to tackle problems one by one, today's complex problems require urgent action at the systems level. Systems thinking practices and tools can help the public health community to understand the intersecting root causes of problems operating in an unstable environment; explore diverse perspectives and opportunities for change; and develop a collaborative, generative vision of the future. This vision includes racial and economic justice alongside population health improvement using anti-racist, equity-forward strategies. When applied within our public health agencies, we build a foundation for systems change and also model systems change leadership outside our organizations.Our recent book, Leading Systems Change in Public Health: A Field Guide for Practitioners, defines and offers an inclusive process for systems change with tools for facilitating transformation. Written and edited by and for public health practitioners, this resource is grounded in key principles to lead systems change, including health equity and racial and social justice; embracing a learning mindset; personal, interpersonal, and team leadership; and community
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