Through language, deepening our understanding of the psychosocial impact of COVID19

We’re so thrilled to share that our volunteers have just completed a massive translation project in collaboration with The Department of Population Health Science and Policy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York! 

Fifteen of Respond’s volunteers helped translate a survey working to uncover the social and psychological impact of the COVID pandemic in NYC communities into Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Haitian Creole, Korean, Arabic, Urdu, French and Polish. 

Non-white, low-income, undocumented, immigrant, uninsured, and LGBTQ populations - who already have an increased burden of chronic diseases and higher mortality rates - also tend to have the least amount of information regarding COVID-19 prevention, as well as the riskiest home situations, the riskiest jobs, and limited savings to rely on if ill or unemployed. 

The survey project aims to understand the experiences of these populations, the numerous psychosocial, economic and physical impacts of the pandemic, and what community and environmental factors impact the risk of contracting and recovering from COVID-19. 

Making the survey accessible to the large and diverse communities of NYC that are non-English speaking is a critical step in building a community-academic network that garners information about diverse populations in NYC to characterize some of the non-health impacts of COVID-19 and informs interventions to benefit high risk groups.

We’re so grateful to this fantastic group of translators and to the folks running this survey at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for the opportunity to partner.