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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Sergio Cristancho, PhD, D. Marcela Garces, MSPH, Ben Mueller, MS, and Karen E. Peters, DrPH. National Center for Rural Health Professions and Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, 1601 Parkview Ave., Rockford, IL 61107, 815-395-5913, scrista@uic.edu

Hispanic populations in rural communities have multiple barriers to face in accessing health promotion programs. While identifying effective health promotion strategies for this group poses a challenge for rural communities with already limited health resources, community participation in health promotion activities remains a key step toward decreasing health disparity. This study investigated Hispanics' preferences for different health promotion strategies that have the potential to be implemented in rural communities throughout Illinois. A survey was administered to a convenience sample of 720 Hispanic adults living in five rural communities through schools, community-based organizations, and faith-based entities as part of a larger needs assessment process currently being conducted through the Center of Excellence in Rural Health: Project EXPORT at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine –Rockford. Results suggest that health education programs in Spanish at schools, churches, and community centers are the preferred health promotion intervention strategy (61.5%). Other strategies in order of importance included receiving health education through television and radio in Spanish (31.8%), hospitals or community health centers (31.3), ESL programs (25.8), mail (31.2), printed media (29.1), and home visits (16.9) with some significant variations depending upon the length of stay in the US, level of education, and income. The findings will be further elaborated upon using relevant cross-cultural communication theories in an attempt to share with rural public health program planners some insights on how to more effectively address Hispanics' health promotion needs through the development of evidence-based, culturally-appropriate, and acculturation-sensitive strategies for this population.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify the health promotion strategies that are preferred by Hispanics living in rural Illinois.
• Recognize that variations in Hispanics’ preferred health promotion strategies are related to their length of stay in the US, level of education, and income.
• Apply relevant theories of cross-cultural learning to the development of health promotion activities that more effectively address Hispanics’ health promotion needs.

Keywords: Health Promotion, Rural Communities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No