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Faculty Name
Dept.
Project Title
Alford, Kristen
Social Work
Tracking Urban Healthcare Disparities: A Case Study from Four Grand Rapids
Neighborhoods.
Project
Abstract
Calvin College has a long history of addressing community health, particularly in areas of
Grand Rapids that experience health disparities or difficulties accessing health care. Beginning in 2002, the Calvin College Nursing Program began working in four urban
neighborhoods using the ideological perspective of community based participatory research
(CBPR) to assess community health needs and develop resident driven solutions. Since that
time, a wealth of data has been collected and summarized in an effort to promote change
within these neighborhoods. As part of a larger, college­wide project “Rooting public health
in community” sponsored by the Provost’s Office, we have the opportunity to analyze this data
using a social work and public health lens. Specifically, we will investigate the barriers and
assets to receiving health care as well as the competing expenses (e.g., rent, food)
individuals and families face when making health care choices.
This project will entail 1) identifying background research on barriers and assets to
healthcare, 2) understanding the effects of current local, state, and federal initiatives
addressing health disparities, 3) conducting secondary data analysis on the most recent
assessments of the four neighborhoods (Baxter /Madison, Creston/Belknap, Burton Heights,
and Heartside), and 4) presenting findings in written and oral forms. The primary outcome of
the research will be a better understanding of how neighborhood and demographic factors
affect the reception of healthcare. Ultimately, this research will then be used to fuel local initiatives promoting health equity in
Grand Rapids. It will demonstrate whether there are significant associations between certain
groups of people and receipt of necessary health care services, or lack thereof. Further, it will
illuminate whether there are unique differences between neighborhoods in terms of both
barriers and assets related to health care and health promoting activities. The end point of
this project is not the research itself but bringing the research back to the communities in
order to promote needed changes and build on existing assets and strengths. This piece of
the project is a critical starting point in the aims of our larger initiative which will seek to
address social justice issues here in our community.
Project
Outcome
Several outcomes are anticipated for this project including a peer­reviewed journal article
and a presentation at a national conference. An abstract is being submitted for the American
Public Health Association conference in November (will learn of acceptance by June 1). If the
abstract is accepted there will be an embargo on publication until October 31, 2016. Ideally,
the article will be submitted to American Journal of Public Health.
This project has tremendous value to the college, the larger community, and the faculty
member. This project is part of the larger, college­wide “Rooting public health in community”
initiative. I (Kristen Alford) am responsible for conducting secondary data analysis using the
existing data and the project emphasizes the importance of working with students. Bringing a
different perspective (social work/public health vs. nursing) to this data will hopefully help us
analyze the community needs and assets in new and exciting ways. Further, we hope to
share this research with the communities who participated in the assessments and with
broader academic audiences who participate in public health and community­based
participatory research. I am excited to have an opportunity to participate in collaborative
research with a student. I finished my doctoral program this past summer. Since my time
here as an undergraduate, faculty members have given me the opportunity to engage in
collaborative research. I look forward to giving students similar opportunities. Further, this
will be valuable to me as I move forward in my own research.