This has been a year like no other, especially when it comes to psychology’s role in achieving health equity—my main initiative as your president.
Despite all the challenges APA and the world have faced, I feel fortunate about the opportunity to work with you as we use psychology to improve the world.
One example of the excellent work psychology has done on this front is the #EquityFlattensTheCurve (#EFTC) initiative. This APA effort connects the voices of health equity, psychology, and public health experts to educate leaders about equity-enhancing practices. It also aims to reduce bias, stigma, and discrimination related to the COVID-19 pandemic and promote equity to help mitigate the virus’s spread.
Over the past year, #EFTC has recruited a network of more than 800 global equity partners representing 20 countries. Central to advancing the goals of #EFTC is its constantly adapting network of people with diverse expertise who connect and collaborate and learn from and inspire one another.
APA has provided the infrastructure for network members to function as change agents locally to advance health equity and improve outcomes for many populations and communities made vulnerable by the inequitable COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Network members contribute to a bank of innovative ideas and solutions. #EFTC has engaged members with dozens of fact sheets, webinars, advocacy campaigns, and a regular cadence of experiences for growth.
APA and network members benefit from these engagements by keeping their fingers on the pulse of the needs of communities and positioning themselves to deliver culturally appropriate interventions in anticipation of what their communities will need next.
As the pandemic evolves and vaccines are more available, the initiative will also evolve, continuing to address the inequities. The organizers of the initiative hope to galvanize network members as catalysts to make monumental leaps that advance health equity. To learn more, visit Equity Flattens the Curveopens in new window.
