Tishra Beeson, DrPH, MPH

We will examine prevention behaviors that minimize the spread of COVID-19 disease in Yakima County, Washington. In May 2020, Yakima County had the highest infection rate of any county on the West Coast of the U.S. with 519 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population. Yakima County is home to a high proportion of essential workers (63%), and 49% of residents identify as Hispanic/Latino—the racial/ethnic group bearing the highest burden of COVID-19 in the state. Yakima was ranked as the fifth worst city for short-term air quality, which may worsen respiratory outcomes. These dynamics make Yakima County especially vulnerable to COVID-19 disease. We will collect phone interview data from a random sample of over 3,000 Yakima County residents to understand their current knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to three key prevention behaviors: handwashing, masking and staying home when sick. We will identify high-risk groups where prevention behaviors are least likely to occur and explore trends in risk and prevention behaviors over time.