“I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19
Objectives The aim of the study was to examine whether and how community-centred approaches facilitate community connectivity by exploring changes that matter to communities.Design Qualitative study comprising ethnographic methods, participant observation and interviews.Setting Economically deprived...
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| Format: | Article |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2022-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/7/e052623.full |
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| author | Mandy Cheetham Alice Wiseman Stephen Ward Sarah Gorman Fiona Pollard |
| author_facet | Mandy Cheetham Alice Wiseman Stephen Ward Sarah Gorman Fiona Pollard |
| author_sort | Mandy Cheetham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives The aim of the study was to examine whether and how community-centred approaches facilitate community connectivity by exploring changes that matter to communities.Design Qualitative study comprising ethnographic methods, participant observation and interviews.Setting Economically deprived neighbourhood of North East England.Participants Interviews with community members (n=14) and staff and stakeholders (n=14) involved in a National Lottery Community-funded initiative and 567 hours of participatory observation were undertaken between September 2019 and July 2020. Data were thematically analysed using a community-centred public health framework.Results Communities experiencing disadvantage approached the pandemic adversely affected by stigma, austerity and reductions in public sector funding. Community members’ priorities centred on the environment, housing, activities for children and young people, crime, community safety and area reputation. Multiagency efforts to promote connectivity, led by voluntary and community sector organisations, were prerequisites in community-centred approaches to public health. Stakeholders reported that these approaches can help alleviate some of the health, social and financial burdens facing communities that are marginalised. Findings suggest community-centred responses were facilitated by trusting relationships, visionary leadership and lived experience of adversity among staff. Issues which appeared to hamper progress included interorganisational power dynamics and attempts to impose solutions. The strength of stakeholders’ connections to the area and to people living there contributed to laying the foundations for local responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational, values-informed work with communities provided a platform to mobilise recovery assets.Conclusions Whole-system approaches, codesigned with communities most affected, can help address the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and its negative effects on health and social inequalities. Further comparative implementation research is needed to examine the partnerships, values and principles that drive success and inclusion. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-573d7c785a02472ea0cb5131279777d2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-573d7c785a02472ea0cb5131279777d22025-01-31T14:35:13ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-07-0112710.1136/bmjopen-2021-052623“I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19Mandy Cheetham0Alice Wiseman1Stephen Ward2Sarah Gorman3Fiona Pollard4Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKPublic Health, Gateshead Council, Gateshead, UKNeighbourhood Management and Volunteering Team, Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities, Gateshead Council, Gateshead, UKEdberts House, Gateshead, UKEdberts House, Gateshead, UKObjectives The aim of the study was to examine whether and how community-centred approaches facilitate community connectivity by exploring changes that matter to communities.Design Qualitative study comprising ethnographic methods, participant observation and interviews.Setting Economically deprived neighbourhood of North East England.Participants Interviews with community members (n=14) and staff and stakeholders (n=14) involved in a National Lottery Community-funded initiative and 567 hours of participatory observation were undertaken between September 2019 and July 2020. Data were thematically analysed using a community-centred public health framework.Results Communities experiencing disadvantage approached the pandemic adversely affected by stigma, austerity and reductions in public sector funding. Community members’ priorities centred on the environment, housing, activities for children and young people, crime, community safety and area reputation. Multiagency efforts to promote connectivity, led by voluntary and community sector organisations, were prerequisites in community-centred approaches to public health. Stakeholders reported that these approaches can help alleviate some of the health, social and financial burdens facing communities that are marginalised. Findings suggest community-centred responses were facilitated by trusting relationships, visionary leadership and lived experience of adversity among staff. Issues which appeared to hamper progress included interorganisational power dynamics and attempts to impose solutions. The strength of stakeholders’ connections to the area and to people living there contributed to laying the foundations for local responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational, values-informed work with communities provided a platform to mobilise recovery assets.Conclusions Whole-system approaches, codesigned with communities most affected, can help address the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and its negative effects on health and social inequalities. Further comparative implementation research is needed to examine the partnerships, values and principles that drive success and inclusion.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/7/e052623.full |
| spellingShingle | Mandy Cheetham Alice Wiseman Stephen Ward Sarah Gorman Fiona Pollard “I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19 BMJ Open |
| title | “I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19 |
| title_full | “I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | “I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | “I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19 |
| title_short | “I think people have been in survival mode”: a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of North East England before and during COVID-19 |
| title_sort | i think people have been in survival mode a qualitative study of community connectivity in a neighbourhood of north east england before and during covid 19 |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/7/e052623.full |
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