April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: Mapping the Communication Infrastructure of Minority-Owned Businesses in the Pandemic to Address Social Determinants of Health
Rationale: After WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020, many states across the U.S. including New Jersey, the focus of this study – issued stay-at-home notices through executive orders (State of New Jersey, 2020), and all non-essential businesses were closed overnight. This paper investigates the experiences of minority-owned micro-businesses, considered critical stakeholders of diverse urban communities confronted with the multiple challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the critical health information and social support needs of these community stakeholders went unmet during this recent public health crisis. Among the challenges they faced, vital information including the health and safety standards mandated in state government executive orders and opportunities for loans and grants were delayed in reaching minority businesses in urban communities. In certain instances, vital information failed to reach these businesses altogether. The survival of micro-businesses during the pandemic was crucial for the wellbeing of many individuals and families of minority backgrounds, including their owners and their employees. They also served as important sources of information for their communities. Driven by community infrastructure theory (CIT) and community resilience theory (Ball-Rokeach et al., 2001; Norris et al., 2008), we examine the storytelling networks of micro-businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic to elucidate how information flowed within their networks and how it influenced recovery efforts. Second, this study sheds light on the specific challenges encountered by micro-businesses in navigating the health crisis and the strategies implemented by them. Finally, through this project, we surface essential processes and mechanisms that contributed to the resilience and survival of these micro-businesses.
Method: Twenty (n=20) qualitative interviews were conducted among minority-owned businesses, based in three socio-demographically diverse and chronically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Taking an abductive approach (i.e., not solely inductive nor deductive), data analysis was conducted employing flexible coding (Deterding & Waters, 2019); coding categories emerged through the data analysis and were informed by extant research. NVivo, a qualitative data analysis software, facilitated coding of interview transcripts. Index codes and analytical codes were generated for each of the research questions.
Findings: Study findings indicate that community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and customers were central to the communication (or storytelling) networks of small businesses, whereas macro-level organizations such as the State’s Health Department and the Economic Development Authority were absent in their networks. The study highlights that resilience among minority businesses in vulnerable urban communities is built through the interplay of communication processes (such as the use of social media and email outreach), social mechanisms (that include connectedness, social capital, and collective efficacy), and community attributes (e.g., neighborhood tenure and community resources such as free COVID-19 testing sites or availability of local grants). Additionally, we discuss implications for minority businesses, as stakeholders who play an important role in the wellbeing of their owners, customers, and the broader neighborhoods in which they are located. We conclude that our findings contribute to a better understanding of social determinants of health (SDOH), specifically on how the domains of community context and economic stability influence the health of both individuals and communities.
Method: Twenty (n=20) qualitative interviews were conducted among minority-owned businesses, based in three socio-demographically diverse and chronically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Taking an abductive approach (i.e., not solely inductive nor deductive), data analysis was conducted employing flexible coding (Deterding & Waters, 2019); coding categories emerged through the data analysis and were informed by extant research. NVivo, a qualitative data analysis software, facilitated coding of interview transcripts. Index codes and analytical codes were generated for each of the research questions.
Findings: Study findings indicate that community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and customers were central to the communication (or storytelling) networks of small businesses, whereas macro-level organizations such as the State’s Health Department and the Economic Development Authority were absent in their networks. The study highlights that resilience among minority businesses in vulnerable urban communities is built through the interplay of communication processes (such as the use of social media and email outreach), social mechanisms (that include connectedness, social capital, and collective efficacy), and community attributes (e.g., neighborhood tenure and community resources such as free COVID-19 testing sites or availability of local grants). Additionally, we discuss implications for minority businesses, as stakeholders who play an important role in the wellbeing of their owners, customers, and the broader neighborhoods in which they are located. We conclude that our findings contribute to a better understanding of social determinants of health (SDOH), specifically on how the domains of community context and economic stability influence the health of both individuals and communities.