Research project provides perspective on being on the frontlines of healthcare in Rochester during COVID
They were celebrated as “healthcare heroes” when the pandemic hit, but navigating the bureaucratic, physical, and emotional realities of being on the front lines of Rochester’s COVID-19 response took a toll.
For his research project, “Healthcare Provision Amidst COVID-19 in Rochester, NY,” Assistant Professor Anthony Jimenez (Sociology and Anthropology) is interviewing health care workers and capturing their stories.
“Many haven’t had the opportunity to share their stories, and it's been almost cathartic for many of them to have their experiences be visible and validated in some way,” he says.
“While the literature highlights a vast range of dynamics pertaining to COVID-19 on a national level, less is known about the practitioner experience in Rochester, New York specifically. This is particularly true of healthcare safety net providers, which consist of any medical entity that provides care to individuals without regard for ability to pay. In short, healthcare safety net providers generally serve the country’s most multiply-marginalized populations with the least stable funding, and they are generally hit the hardest when the larger healthcare system as a whole is strained.”
Jimenez, whose research and teaching interests center on health disparities, race, immigration, gender, and border imperialism, plans to submit his research for publishing after it is completed later this year.
For now, interviews are underway with Rochester region health practitioners who are sharing stories.
