This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, assesses effective strategies to eliminate disparities in access to COVID-19 vaccination by race and ethnicity by building on an existing nationwide initiative of the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative (ADVC). The ADVC, administered by USAging with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, supports community-based organizations (CBOs) to facilitate seasonal vaccinations by aligning social services, public health and health care.

Current health care payment methods do not reflect the need for effective chronic disease prevention, nor do they address the social determinants of health. Historically, common payment standards intended to link private healthcare providers with payers did not factor in coding or language to cover services provided by nonmedical personnel. Nonmedical personnel, specifically those in the social services sector, remain at a financial disadvantage relative to their peers.

Populations with diabetes can successfully manage their condition if they have regular access to primary care along with access to quality food, physical, and social environments that support healthy lifestyles. Lack of safe, convenient, and affordable transportation options can make it difficult for low-income populations to access these resources. A research team led by Georgia State University will use a randomized trial to test several low-cost ways of improving transportation opportunities for low-income urban diabetic patients, including providing public transit vouchers, ride-share credits on Lyft, a cash benefit, or mobility counseling compared with usual medical care alone.