Journal Article

Pandemic Through the Lens of Black Barbershops: COVID-19’s Impact and Barbers’ Potential Role as Public Health Extenders

Asch, Steven M, Shaw, Jonathan G, Saliba-Gustafsson, Erika A, Taylor, N. Kenji, Rosas, Lisa G, Faulks, Melvin, Brown-Johnson, Cati G

2023

Overview

We examined the impact of COVID-19 on Black barbershops and their potential role as public health extenders. A 30-item survey was distributed to predominantly Black barbershop owners and barbers across 40 different states/territories in the US between June and October 2020. The survey addressed the impact of COVID-19 on Black barbershops, and barbers’ interest in engaging in health outreach programs. The majority reported that stay-at-home orders had significant to severe impact on their business; few were prepared for the financial impact and less than half thought they qualified for government assistance. The majority were already providing health education and outreach to the Black community and showed interest in continuing to provide such services, like information on COVID-19. Barbers in Black-serving barbershops, a well-documented effective place for public health outreach to the Black community, show promise as public health extenders in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: African American Community / Alaska Natives / Barbers / Black people / Community Programs / COVID-19 / COVID-19 diagnostic tests / Demographics / Education / Global health / Health behavior / Health care policy / Health education / Households / Hypertension / Information services / Instructional Materials / Insurance / Literacy Education / Outreach programs / Outreach services / Owners / Pandemics / Periodicals / Personal protective equipment / Political majority / Polls & surveys / Professional training / Public finance / Public health / Reading Instruction / Shelter in place / Social networks / Surveys / Welfare benefits