IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/epplan/v112y2025ics0149718925001326.html

Mobilization of community-based organizations during Covid-19: Perceptions of barriers and needed supports

Author

Listed:
  • Mehari, Krista R.
  • Smith, Phillip N.
  • Im, Angie
  • Stevens, L. Taylor
  • Florez, Natalie A.
  • Bhatt, Vishva
  • Louissaint, Nicolette A.

Abstract

Human ecosystem disruptions such as Covid-19 and natural disasters increase existing health disparities among communities that have been historically underserved by healthcare systems, especially communities of color. Community-based organizations (CBOs) are well-placed to mobilize effective responses to local needs, which may mitigate the impact of human ecosystem disruptions on disparities. The purpose of this study was to explore CBO leaders’ perspectives on responding to community needs during human ecosystem disruptions, with the goal of informing entities that plan to support or partner with CBOs to maximize the effectiveness of disaster responding. Interview respondents were 31 adults with roles in human-serving organizations across two cities in disaster-prone regions and with populations that score highly across several indices for social vulnerability. Barriers that CBOs encountered included bureaucracy and procedural obstacles, lack of awareness of the work and resources of other organizations, and reduced operational capacity due to Covid-19. Strategies to support CBOs included increased funding and enhanced networking with other organizations. To mitigate the disparate impacts of human ecosystem disruptions, public and private funders should increase flexibility in funding to rapidly respond to emerging needs, and community agencies and institutions should proactively collaborate to build cross-agency infrastructure for communication, sharing resources, and referrals.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehari, Krista R. & Smith, Phillip N. & Im, Angie & Stevens, L. Taylor & Florez, Natalie A. & Bhatt, Vishva & Louissaint, Nicolette A., 2025. "Mobilization of community-based organizations during Covid-19: Perceptions of barriers and needed supports," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:112:y:2025:i:c:s0149718925001326
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102665
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149718925001326
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102665?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mossakowski, Krysia N., 2008. "Is the duration of poverty and unemployment a risk factor for heavy drinking?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 947-955, September.
    2. Alina Engelman & Mariana T. Guzzardo & Marley Antolin Muñiz & Laura Arenas & Aracely Gomez, 2022. "Assessing the Emergency Response Role of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) Serving People with Disabilities and Older Adults in Puerto Rico Post-Hurricane María and during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-21, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Devillanova, Carlo & Raitano, Michele & Struffolino, Emanuela, 2019. "Longitudinal employment trajectories and health in middle life: Insights from linked administrative and survey data," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 40, pages 1375-1412.
    2. Alexandrina Stoyanova & Jaime Pinilla, 2020. "The Evolution of Mental Health in the Context of Transitory Economic Changes," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 203-221, April.
    3. Geert Dom & Jerzy Samochowiec & Sara Evans-Lacko & Kristian Wahlbeck & Guido Van Hal & David McDaid, 2016. "The Impact of the 2008 Economic Crisis on Substance Use Patterns in the Countries of the European Union," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, January.
    4. Urbanos-Garrido, Rosa M. & Gonzalez Lopez-Valcarcel, Beatriz, 2013. "Desempleo y salud: Un análisis de la repercusión de la crisis económica sobre la salud de los españoles/Unemployment and Health: An Analysis of the Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Health of the S," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 31, pages 303-326, Septiembr.
    5. Cerdá, Magdalena & Johnson-Lawrence, Vicki D. & Galea, Sandro, 2011. "Lifetime income patterns and alcohol consumption: Investigating the association between long- and short-term income trajectories and drinking," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(8), pages 1178-1185.
    6. Ioana Popovici & Michael T. French, 2013. "Does Unemployment Lead to Greater Alcohol Consumption?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 444-466, April.
    7. Tapio Paljärvi & Pekka Martikainen & Tiina Pensola & Taina Leinonen & Kimmo Herttua & Pia Mäkelä, 2015. "Life Course Trajectories of Labour Market Participation among Young Adults Who Experienced Severe Alcohol-Related Health Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-14, May.
    8. Reinhard Schunck & Benedikt Rogge, 2010. "Unemployment and its association with health-relevant actions: investigating the role of time perspective with German census data," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 55(4), pages 271-278, August.
    9. Lantis, Robert & Teahan, Brittany, 2018. "The effect of unemployment insurance on alcohol use and abuse following job loss," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 92-103.
    10. Shaykhi, Farzin & Ghayour-Minaie, Matin & Toumbourou, John W., 2018. "Impact of the Resilient Families intervention on adolescent antisocial behavior: 14-month follow-up within a randomized trial," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 484-491.
    11. Gallo, Giovanni & Ubaldi, Michele, 2025. "Sweets for my sweet: The impact of partner unemployment on individual physical health," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1638, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    12. Rosenthal, Lisa & Carroll-Scott, Amy & Earnshaw, Valerie A. & Santilli, Alycia & Ickovics, Jeannette R., 2012. "The importance of full-time work for urban adults' mental and physical health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(9), pages 1692-1696.
    13. Faraz Vahid Shahidi & Carles Muntaner & Ketan Shankardass & Carlos Quiñonez & Arjumand Siddiqi, 2018. "Widening health inequalities between the employed and the unemployed: A decomposition of trends in Canada (2000-2014)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, November.
    14. Israel Escudero-Castillo & Fco. Javier Mato-Díaz & Ana Rodriguez-Alvarez, 2021. "Furloughs, Teleworking and Other Work Situations during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Mental Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-16, March.
    15. Moniek C. M. Goeij & Jan-Willem Bruggink & Ferdy Otten & Anton E. Kunst, 2017. "Harmful drinking after job loss: a stronger association during the post-2008 economic crisis?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 62(5), pages 563-572, June.
    16. Rohde, Nicholas & Tang, Kam Ki & Osberg, Lars & Rao, D.S. Prasada, 2017. "Is it vulnerability or economic insecurity that matters for health?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 307-319.
    17. William Ash-Houchen & Celia C. Lo & Heather M. Gerling & Tyrone C. Cheng, 2021. "Gender and Childhood Victimization: A Longitudinal Study of Heavy Drinking in Young Adulthood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, October.
    18. Preethi Pratap & Alison Dickson & Marsha Love & Joe Zanoni & Caitlin Donato & Michael A. Flynn & Paul A. Schulte, 2021. "Public Health Impacts of Underemployment and Unemployment in the United States: Exploring Perceptions, Gaps and Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-25, September.
    19. Lee, Jungeun Olivia & Hill, Karl G. & Hartigan, Lacey A. & Boden, Joseph M. & Guttmannova, Katarina & Kosterman, Rick & Bailey, Jennifer A. & Catalano, Richard F., 2015. "Unemployment and substance use problems among young adults: Does childhood low socioeconomic status exacerbate the effect?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 36-44.
    20. Melia Fonoimoana Garrett & Elizabeth A. Cutrer-Párraga & G. E. Kawika Allen & Ellie L. Young & Kristofer J. Urbina & Isabel Medina Hull, 2025. "“It Would Ruin My Life”: Pacific Islander Male Adolescents’ Perceptions of Mental Health Help-Seeking—An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(1), pages 1-32, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:112:y:2025:i:c:s0149718925001326. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/evalprogplan .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.