Strengthening the Capacity of Service Providers to Reduce the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on African, Caribbean, and Black Communities: Protocol for the COVID-19 African, Caribbean, and Black Providers Project 2.0 Implementation and Evaluation

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as an unprecedented challenge for health care systems across the world, disproportionately impacting immigrant and racialized populations. Canadian African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities represent some of the populations considered most vulnerable in terms of their susceptibility to health-related risks, receipt of adequate care, and chances of recovery.

Objective: The COVID-19 ACB Providers Project 2.0 aims to strengthen the ability of health care providers to address this community's COVID-19-related health care needs. Informed by the COVID-19 ACB Providers Project 1.0, a mixed methods study that examined the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on African, Caribbean, and Black communities in Ontario (Ottawa and Toronto), this second study seeks to develop and implement educational programs in 5 key areas (modules) to strengthen the capacity of service providers (SPs) working with African, Caribbean, and Black populations. These modules (topics) include (1) the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on health, (2) social determinants of health and health inequities, (3) critical health literacy, (4) critical racial literacy, and (5) cultural competence and safety.

Methods: An implementation science approach is used to guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of the evidence-informed interventions. The intersectionality lens, socioecological model, and community-based participatory research frameworks are informing the research process. To ensure active stakeholder engagement, the project advisory committee includes 16 African, Caribbean, and Black community members, health providers, and partner agency representatives. Five modules have been developed: 2 web-based simulation games in collaboration with leading simulation experts and 3 nonsimulation modules. The analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation instructional design method was used as a framework to design and develop the educational modules.

Results: The module development was completed in early 2024, and the training program was officially launched in April 2024 at the University of Ottawa. The synchronous format was delivered until November 2024, and the asynchronous format remained available until the end of May 2025. By January 2025, a total of 322 SPs from 33 organizations had completed training. The focus groups were held in November and December 2024 and surveys were administered between June 2024 and May 2025. Data cleaning will continue until September 2025, analysis is scheduled for September and October 2025, and findings are expected to be submitted for publication in November 2025.

Conclusions: This protocol outlines a scalable, community-informed intervention to build SP capacity in delivering equitable care to African, Caribbean, and Black communities. The findings will inform future health equity training and policy development across Canada and beyond. The results of this study will be disseminated in community workshops, web-based learning platforms, at academic conferences, and in peer-reviewed publications.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/66546.

Keywords: COVID-19; critical health literacy; critical racial literacy; education; health and social service providers; health equity.