Supported by University research funding, an interdisciplinary team of faculty researchers and students are partnering with healthcare systems and community organizations to develop community-informed strategies that advance health equity and improve access to care across New Haven
By Caitlin Truesdale, Office of Marketing and Communications
A new interdisciplinary research initiative at the University of New Haven is bringing together faculty, students, community organizations, and healthcare leaders to address one of today’s most pressing public health challenges: improving health equity through stronger health system and cross-sector collaboration
Supported through both a 2026-2027 University of New Haven Research Fund Award and a Summer Research Stipend from the Pompea College of Business, the project reflects months of interdisciplinary planning, community partnership development, and student engagement
Led by Pavani Rangachari, Ph.D., CPH, professor in the Department of Population Health and Leadership in the School of Health Sciences, and Khadija Al Arkoubi, Ph.D., professor and chair of Management and International Business in the Pompea College of Business, the project, Advancing Health Equity and Digital Inclusion in New Haven: A Community-Engaged Approach to Inform Health System and Cross-Sector Solutions for Social and Digital Determinants of Health in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities, recently completed its first major milestone.
Over three days, our research team conducted seven community-based group interviews at the Wilson Branch Library in New Haven involving 21 Afghan women caregivers. The interviews explored the social, digital, and structural barriers families experience while accessing healthcare and related services, as well as the resilience, navigation strategies, and community strengths they rely upon. Findings from this first phase will help inform a future community-engaged co-design effort involving healthcare organizations, community partners, educators, public health leaders, and policymakers.
The initiative builds upon Dr. Rangachari’s ongoing research examining health system engagement with social and digital determinants of health while expanding that work through community-based participatory approaches. Although the initial focus is on immigrant and refugee communities, the broader goal is to generate insights that can help inform health-system redesign, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and advance more equitable approaches to care delivery
“This project demonstrates what is possible when universities, community organizations, students, and healthcare partners come together around a shared commitment to improving health equity,” said Dr. Rangachari. “Our goal is not only to understand community experiences, but also to generate practical, community-informed solutions that can help shape future health-system and cross-sector innovation.”
Dr. Al Arkoubi emphasized both the community partnerships and educational impact of the initiative
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this project has been the opportunity to build trusted relationships within the community while creating meaningful learning experiences for our students,” she said. “We are deeply grateful to the women who shared their stories and to all of our community partners whose collaboration made this work possible.”
A hallmark of the initiative has been its emphasis on interdisciplinary experiential learning. Students from biology, finance, business, and community psychology worked alongside faculty and community leaders throughout planning and data collection. The student team included Helai Salimi ’26 (Biology), Basira Tallash ’28 (Business Analytics), Fulbright scholar Rida Najib ’27 M.A. (Community Psychology), and Naimi Ahmad Masoom MBA ’27 MBA, each contributing language expertise, community engagement, and research support.
Community partnership also played a central role. Hossna Samadi of the Collective for Refugee and Immigrant Women (CRIW) provided leadership in participant engagement, cultural guidance, trust-building, and interview facilitation throughout the project
“I’m honored to be part of this important community-engaged research initiative focused on health equity and digital inclusion in New Haven,” said Samadi. “Most importantly, I am grateful to the immigrant women who generously shared their experiences and perspectives. Their voices are essential to understanding community needs and shaping meaningful solutions.”
The project also received early encouragement and support from Bristol Health
“Projects like this create an important opportunity to bring community voices forward and translate lived experiences into practical strategies that can strengthen health systems and cross-sector collaboration,” said Dr. Ysmael Albert Peguero, executive director of strategic operations & external affairs at Bristol Health. “We look forward to continuing our partnership as the project moves into its next phase.” This perspective reflects Bristol Health’s commitment to serving as a partner in the project’s future co-design activities.
The research team is now beginning the next phase of the project, which includes transcription, translation, and qualitative analysis of the interview data. These findings will serve as the foundation for Phase 2, bringing together healthcare organizations, community partners, educators, and public health leaders to co-design scalable strategies that advance health equity and improve access to care for culturally and linguistically diverse communities
