Health Education Kiosks Meet Diverse Needs in California Community

November 21, 2024 | Taylor Francis

Del Norte County, the homeland of the Indigenous Tolowa and Yurok peoples, has a significantly higher proportion of American Indian residents than California at large. In a recent community health assessment, Del Norte County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Public Health Branch conducted a focus group with the American Indian population to gain a deeper understanding of their health perspectives and necessities, during which a key topic emerged: the need for additional health resources.

The Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG), referred to as the California Strengthening Public Health Initiative (CASPHI) grant within the state, has enabled Del Norte County’s DHHS Public Health Branch to achieve significant advancements in this area as well as overall community health outreach and partnership with tribal organizations. Namely, these funds have supported the Community Health Education Kiosk (CHEK) project, which is designed to promote culturally and linguistically relevant health education resources and content through interactive kiosks. Most significantly, the kiosks can be programmed by the local community. This initiative has proven instrumental in bridging the information gap in Del Norte County and addressing diverse community needs.

CHEK Project Launch

Using CASPHI/PHIG funds, the DHHS Public Health Branch hired a communications and health equity coordinator, whose contributions have been essential in launching the CHEK project and further engaging with tribal partners. So far, there are seven interactive kiosks across Del Norte County—including in the tribal community located in the outlying area—each equipped with a touchscreen and internet.

The kiosks can offer location-specific information, connecting each community with personalized health education resources. The DHHS Public Health Branch is evaluating options to implement self-referral capabilities to further enhance their value.

Partnering with Tribal Organizations for Success

The DHHS Public Health Branch recognized the importance of cultivating an in-person relationship with the Yurok tribe for effective collaboration on the CHEK project and established a memorandum of understanding, which set a strong foundation for implementation. The agreement fosters a trusted relationship built on accountability and transparency, promoting health equity with tribal partners and strengthening overall public health efforts.

That said, building this trust with tribal partners took time, and staff turnover added additional challenges along the way. In addition, securing approval from the county for the memorandum was a lengthy process, delaying initial plans.

Measuring Impact

While data is still forthcoming following the recent kiosk installations, the DHHS Public Health Branch is using feedback from internal and external stakeholders to measure the project’s success and impact.

• Staff and Partners: Internal staff and tribal partners have expressed appreciation for the DHHS Public Health Branch’s efforts to build partnerships and better understand and address tribal needs through in-person visits and ongoing communication.
• Kiosk Sites: The DHHS Public Health Branch is engaging with stakeholders from the seven kiosk deployment sites to further assess the impact of the CASPHI/PHIG-funded initiative. This includes gathering community feedback through observational surveys and interviews to inform the next steps in customizing and promoting the CHECK project. So far, certain sites have suggested that the kiosks would be more useful if they offered further resources. In response, the DHHS Public Health Branch is exploring ways to integrate the Unite Us platform, allowing people to make self-referrals and access additional services.
• Community Members: Additionally, the DHHS Public Health Branch is exploring the implementation of a system for community members to provide direct feedback on their CHEK kiosk experience. One potential approach is to introduce a survey asking how they feel about using the kiosks, which would provide better insights into the impact as well as areas for improvement.

The Power of Investing in Public Health Infrastructure

CASPHI/PHIG funding has been instrumental in strengthening communications and health equity in Del Norte County through initiatives like the CHEK Project. This effort shows that investing in public health infrastructure fosters healthier, more equitable communities and ultimately improves overall public health outcomes across California.

Local health jurisdictions, like Del Norte County, and the California Department of Public Health continue to braid and layer CASPHI/PHIG and California’s Future of Public Health funding to conduct this important work and improve community health.