Health care disparities exist for several reasons. Inequality in accessibility and quality of health services occur not only because of cultural and linguistic resaons, but also because individuals lack knowledge of available resources. The energy and knowledge to initiate and complete the process for accessing resources may also be absent. The root of these deficiencies may be literacy, socio-economic, and/or negative history with the health care system. For seven years, these realities have guided the outreach work for the Dayton, Ohio, Center for Healthy Communities, Community Health Advocates(CHAs). The CHAs'work in primarily African-American and white Appalachian communities have achieved positive outcomes in areas of school health, health promotion, lead poisoning prevention, and teen pregnancy prevention. This session will review briefly the development of this CHA program and highlight several initiatives and their outcomes.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the general components of a successful Community Health Advocate(CHA) Program. 2. Identify the role of the CHA in decreasing health disparities. 3. Discuss the outcomes of the CHAs work in several community health initiatives
Keywords: Community Health Advisor, Health Care Access
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.