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

Abstract #114301

Jesus A. Sanchez, MSUP, Center for the Development of Dominican Women, 900 West 190 th Street 12M, New York City, NY 10040, 212-927-1123, jas6@columbia.edu, EmyLou A.S. Rodriguez, Office of the Medical Director, March of Dimes, 1275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Maria R. Zoquier, BS, WH/I GENE Project Coalition, Dominican Women's Development Center, 519 West 189th Street, Ground Floor, The target audiences are public health, New York, NY 10040, Kathleen Berentsen, MS, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, PH 16, New York City, NY 10032, and Rosita M. Romero, MSW, Executive Director, Dominican Women's Development Center, 519 West 189th Street, Ground Floor, New York, NY 10040.

Currently, there is an increased interest in genetics education and dissemination of scientific information to racial and ethnic minorities and underserved communities. In the Fall of 2002,a diverse spectrum of community-based stakeholders from Washington Heights/Inwood (WH/I), NY, formed the WH/I Genetics Education Needs Evaluation (GENE) Coalition to increase awareness and education of genetics with the ultimate goal of increasing preventive genetic services utilization. The Coalition is a diverse network of community residents, community-based health, social services, educational and faith-based institutions, local representatives of national organizations, among many others.

Under the sponsorship of March of Dimes through a cooperative agreement with the Genetic Services Branch of MCHB of HRSA, the WH/I GENE Coalition conducted a community needs assessment involving over 400 face-to-face interviews and four focus groups in the Latino community in Northern Manhattan to assess community knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of genetics and genetic testing, counseling and treatment; availability of linguistically and culturally appropriate genetic services; preferences for delivery of health information; and topics of special interest.

This presentation will: 1) highlight key findings from the comprehensive needs assessment study undertaken by the WH/I GENE Coalition; 2) discuss how social and health disparities affect access to genetic information and services; 3) review the impact ofthe Coalition in increasing awareness of genetics issues among community stakeholders; and 4) describe a Community Action Plan developed in response to the genetics education needs and gaps identified by theLatino community.

Learning Objectives: