Recorded presentation

Sidney Liang, BS, Sheila Och, Dorcas Grigg-Saito, MS, and Buntha Krouch. Cambodian Community Health 2010 Program, Lowell Community Health Center, 15-17 Warren Street, 3rd FLoor, Lowell, MA 01852, 978-934-0164 ext.206, Sidneyli@lchealth.org

Organizing any kind of outreach takes time, effort, and advance planning. Cambodians seek assistance from a health care provider after traditional practices such as herbal remedies, dermal techniques, maintenance of hot-cold balance and other rituals, have been tried and have not worked.

This presentation describes effective outreach strategies that developed by a REACH2010 Program at the Lowell Community Health Center, Lowell, MA. Strategies include, these to be presented by a CHW: 1) a television show called “Jivit Thmey”, Cambodian for New Life, where a combination of local news and health topics are discussed weekly, 2) Peer Support Groups where Cambodian elders have the chance to speak with practitioners, health educators and experts in the field in their own language and in a welcoming environment, 3) Team Outreach which involves a group of outreach workers going door-to-door, to temples, and businesses to spread the word about health services available to the community, 4) Stress Reduction Program where participants learn different methods to reduce stress such as massage, acupuncture, meditation, socializing while learning the benefits of stress reduction to their health, and 5) Community Conversations with community members where staff gather information about health beliefs and practices in order to better plan their outreach activities to make them culturally and linguistically appropriate.

Although these outreach strategies apply to the Cambodian community, they can be adapted and applied to other groups. LCHC has tried some of these strategies in African, Brazilian and Latino groups and have found them to be effective.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. List five effective outreach strategies that link Cambodians to health care.
• 2. Apply outreach strategies to other groups in the general population.
• 3. Articulate important factors to consider when conducting outreach in the Cambodian community such as trust, expectations, language, family, traditional health beliefs and practices and how they contribute to the overall well-being of the Cambodian community.

Keywords: Outreach Programs, Community Outreach

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.

Recorded presentation