Lay Health Educators: An Opportunity for Community Education Post-Disaster

The Greater New Orleans area endured severed relationships among community organizations previously collaborating on public health education projects following hurricane Katrina in 2005. Due to limited healthcare infrastructure and an out flux of healthcare professionals, lay health educators (LHEs) and their trainers are one means of filling the gap. LHEs have been shown to be effective in disseminating health information and are culturally-accepted as a means of providing services in the New Orleans area. Tulane Xavier Center of Excellence in Women's Health (TUXCOE) has a history of successful LHE health education programs.

Partnerships with community organizations are imperative as a source for recruitment and training of LHEs. Earlier, the most effective method of contact was through collaboration with colleagues already doing similar work in the field and requesting access to their community members. Due to the destroyed lines of communication, physical presence at a location is currently the most effective networking method, which requires systematic survey to locate organizations that are open and providing services. Once a relationship has been fostered, community leaders have provided a pool of women willing to participate in focus groups and recommendations for women interested in training to become LHEs in their neighborhoods. TUXCOE provides LHEs with ongoing support through weekly phone calls or site visits, building self-efficacy and empowering women to make positive changes in their lives.