Latino Culturally Specific Public Health Practice: A Model for Latino Community/Academic Public Health Partnerships

Cultural differences between research institutions and communities often prevent and complicate collaborations that are necessary to reduce health disparities, ultimately resulting in lost opportunities for Latino community led research,health planning and policy development. Competencies are necessary for community members, researchers and their institutions to identify cultural differences, systemic barriers and develop strategies that can support the development of an approach that can build upon the cultural strengths of communities and researchers. Oregon Health and Science University Center for Health Disparities Research (CHDR) provides a model for creative community partnerships and competency development that includes faculty appointments for Latino community members, community leaders as primary investigators and grant development assistance provided to Latino community based organizations. This presentation will provide examples of the CHDR partnership and competency model developed and implemented with two Latino led community agencies. CHDR partnerships with the Latino- led agencies Desarrollo Integral de la Familia,and Susannah Maria Gurule Foundation/Hacienda which have produced research and programs focused on domestic violence, prenatal care for uninsured Latinas and health promotion directed by promotoras de salud (e.g. culturally competent lay health experts). Further,this presentation will provide an overview of the successes and challenges that remain for truly equitable research partnerships focused on reducing Latino health disparities. A model will be presented to provide tools in the development of partnerships that build community research capacity and that yield public health research, practice and policy, all led and designed by Latinos.