COVID-19's Impact on Women: A Stakeholder-Engagement Approach to Increase Public Awareness Through Virtual Town Halls

J Public Health Manag Pract. 2020 Nov/Dec;26(6):534-538. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001249.

Abstract

Women face unprecedented challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging evidence suggests that women are unduly burdened by inequitable access to economic, health, and social resources during the pandemic. For many women, COVID-19 has presented new urgency to challenges and illuminates unique issues long encountered. Gendered roles such as family caregiving and frontline occupations increase women's exposure to COVID-19 infections and critical outcomes. To increase dialogue around COVID-19's impact on women, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health convened a moderated virtual town hall on April 25, 2020, with 2 sexual and reproductive health experts. The town hall was the second in a series to increase public awareness of COVID-19's impact on vulnerable populations. This report highlights policy and practice implications that are particularly relevant for engaging key populations and delivering information to increase public awareness of COVID-19.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alabama
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Health Education / methods*
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy
  • Reproductive Health / education*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Self Care
  • Women's Health*