20 October 2021
Empowering communities in Sandefjord, Norway: Using bridge builders to increase adherence to social distancing, self isolation and uptake of vaccines amongst the ethnic minority population.
The project, led by Maja Myhre, started in February 2021 in a small local authority in Norway. The background for the project was increasing rates of Covid-19 infection as well as vaccine hesitancy in the ethnic minority population. The project applied a bridge-building model to empower ethnic minority populations to adhere to social distancing regulations, self isolation, and uptake of vaccines through the use of local resource persons. The local resource persons received training in medical translation, contact tracing, and basic principles of public health promotion. The project designed health promotion material using a collaborative approach based on the specific needs of diverse populations. It uses the knowledge and experience of local resource persons to promote equity in health outcomes. The presentation will discuss the design and implementation of the project, as well as some of the challenges of pioneering this project in a relatively non-diverse and small local authority in Norway.
Speaker:
Maja Myhre, School of Social Sciences and Professions, London Metropolitan University
Session chair:
Dr Yolanda Eraso, Centre for Primary Health and Social Care Director
