156599 Lay Health Advisors: A Self-Help Model for Improving Mental Health Post-Disaster

Wednesday, November 7, 2007: 3:50 PM

Shawna Marie Herbst, MSW, MPH , Tulane Xavier Center of Excellence in Women's Health, New Olreans, LA
Antor Ndep Ola, MPH, CHES , School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Jean Valliere, MSW, LCSW, BACS , Maternal and Child Health, Louisiana Office of Public Health, Baton Rouge, LA
Paula Zeanah, PhD , Maternal and Child Health, Louisiana Office of Public Health, New Olreans, LA
Jeanette Magnus, MD, PhD , Mary Amelia Douglas-Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
           
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent levee breaches devastated Louisiana and caused damage, displacement and death never before seen in this country. Survivors of these disasters are experiencing a multitude of stressors. Preliminary results demonstrate that many are experiencing some symptomatology of PTSD and a majority is facing ongoing stress related to living in often chaotic environments and with an extreme deficit in resources.

The aim of this project is to increase community awareness of stress and depression through the training of lay health educators (LHEs). A partnership between Tulane Xavier National Center of Excellence in Women's Health (TUXCOE) staff and Louisiana Office of Public Health Title V program staff has been created. Focus groups will be conducted in each affected parish and analyzed in order to obtain community-relevant information for the lay health educator training. LHEs will be recruited from community organizations within the targeted communities. The project will include training of 30 LHE women per year equipped to provide stress awareness information within their respective communities. The goal is that the LHEs will increase awareness of post-disaster mental health and reduce the stigma associated with these issues.

Learning Objectives:
1- Identify 5 topics in the lay health educator training that are relevant in a post-disaster setting. 2- Describe 3 ways lay health educators reach out and contact community women to discuss stress and depression.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Qualitative Research in Community Planning in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
See more of: Community Health Planning and Policy Development