Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113864

Marylyn M. McEwen, PhD, APRN, BC, College of Nursing, University of Arizona, PO Box 210203, Tucson, AZ 85721-0203, 520-626-6926, mmcewen@nursing.arizona.edu and Marion K. Slack, PhD, Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210207, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0207.

The historical and competing interests between capital and labor in the US-Mexico border region has resulted in a significant number of persons of Mexican origin living on the U.S. side who lack a regular source of health care and the skills required for navigating U.S. health care systems. The multiple and complex health problems experienced by Mexican immigrants (N=134) who participated in Nuestra Comunidad Nuestra Salud, an interdisciplinary case management program at the Arizona-Sonora border, were identified during a 7-year period (1996-2003) using the Omaha System. Data were collected during home visits by teams of health profession students and local promotoras. A total of 972 client problems were identified from each of the Omaha domains: Environmental 18%, Psychosocial 39%, Physiological 21%, and Health Related Behaviors 22%. Ninety seven participants (54%) had low income and uninsured medical expenses; 66 (18%) were not familiar with health services, had language barriers, and difficulty understanding providers; 41 (20%) had problems related to pregnancy; 44 (21%) reported hypoglycemia, and an unbalanced diet; 36 (17%) deviated from prescribed medication dosage schedules and failed to obtain refills; and 30 (14%) failed to return for follow-up visits. Findings revealed: 1) the multiple and competing problems that challenge Mexican immigrants who reside at the Arizona-Sonora border to successfully engage in self care management, 2) factors that contribute to health disparities in persons of Mexican origin, and 2) challenges inherent in preparing health professions students to become culturally competent providers to meet the health care needs of this population.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify client problems from at least two domains that presented barriers for this population to successfully engage in self care management.
• Assess the applicability of the Omaha System model for assessing client needs for other vulnerable populations.
• Recognize the Omaha System as a unifying model for interdisciplinary case management.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Immigrants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation