National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference 2024

McCoy, L, Yuille, M, and Murphy, C.
Healthcare providers play a critical role in improving adherence to vaccines through their
unique position of trust and authority in the patient-provider relationship. Effective healthcare
involves respect for patients’ cultural influences, and acknowledges various beliefs about health
and wellbeing. This grant project aims to strengthen cultural competency in healthcare
organizations by providing professional development training for healthcare providers,
educators, and staff. This training ensures access to unbiased, research-based information and
resources for the organizations and the individuals they serve.

Through an EXCITE grant, a Cultural Competency and Health Literacy Training was created
by the state EXCITE team with consultancy from health literacy experts.Evaluation will include pre- and
post-training evaluations, and a 3-month follow-up evaluation to identify behaviors and practices
as a result of the training. Feedback opportunities to the EXCITE team are provided for
community partners throughout the grant period.

Information learned in this training will give healthcare providers in the rural areas of our state
a unique lens to addressing vaccine hesitancy with their patients and their communities. Health
literacy training will increase effective and equitable conversations and dissemination of health
information between stakeholders and community members. Community partners will have
new tools, program resources, and communication techniques