NCCU Researchers Provide HOPE to Underserved Communities | Latest Headlines

“The HOPE program was initiated to help develop a deeper understanding of the health disparities that exist in communities across North Carolina, and it is fortunate that this network is in place to assist public health agencies in the areas,” Kumar said. “As a National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities-designated research center, BBRI faculty and staff will be providing support for the HOPE team as needed throughout the pandemic.”

The more COVID cases North Carolina saw, the more it became clear that minorities were being disproportionately affected by the virus. To Pilkington, however, this was no surprise.

“Risk factors for infection, severe symptoms, and adverse outcomes from COVID-19 include diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney and liver disease, lung disease, and immune disorders,” he said. “Most, if not all, of the risk factors are known health issues disproportionately affecting minority populations. Additionally, the majority of underserved communities include homes without the technology necessary to access telemedicine, multifamily homes with a large number of residents, and homes containing essential workers exposed to the virus regularly. When you isolate a population like this with little to no available testing, the results are inevitable.”

In an attempt to combat such results, the HOPE team is partnering with public health departments and other community based organizations in going out to underserved communities and providing free COVID-19 tests to 2,400 persons in just a couple of months. This is yet another remarkable example of taking the research we perform on campus directly into the community. That’s what HOPE is all about. It’s a program that values its engagement with the communities it serves just as much as it values its research. We’re grateful to the team at NC Central for spearheading the effort to broaden the scope of our campus, and we look forward to seeing all that comes next.