219947 East Harlem Latte Club for youth with asthma: A photo-journal of leadership, advocacy, and peer education in action

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM

Betty Perez-Rivera, EdD, CHES , East Harlem Asthma Center of Excellence, District Public Health Office, NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY
Veronica N. Uzoebo, EdD, MS, MA , District Public Health Office, Harlem, NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, District Public Health Office, New York, NY
Carmen Diaz-Malvido, MS , East and Central Harlem District Public Health Office, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, East Harlem Asthma Center of Excellence, new York, NY
  
Background: Children in East Harlem have among the highest rates of emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to asthma in NYC, creating challenges for parents who also have additional life-altering issues to address. *EHACE is designed to ensure access to high-quality healthcare, support family management of asthma, reduce exposure to tobacco and other asthma triggers within the home and strengthen care coordination among service providers for a more sustainable East Harlem.

*EHACE created the Latte Club for Youth with Asthma to provide asthma education, and teach advocacy, public speaking, peer education and social networking skills to help teens become community leaders through completion of a special project. Allergies, nutrition, greening of East Harlem, project creation and implementation, communication techniques and additional asthma-related topics are also covered.

Method: One special project uses documentary photography and photo voice as part of a photo-journal exploring the meaning of asthma-friendly neighborhoods among youth in East Harlem. Students (n=24) use disposable cameras to document their experience of managing asthma, identifying barriers and assets unique to their neighborhood and their views on the need for policy change and community action. Participants take part in one of two guided focus groups to discuss their pictures and analyze findings.

Results: As teens become more sensitized to social barriers and assets in East Harlem they become more actively engaged in community service and community building; gaining a voice to help effect change. Results are transcribed and thematically analyzed. Pre and post tests will capture changes in perception and behavior.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss leadership skills, advocacy, and peer education techniques to empower teens with a voice towards social justice 2. Describe how to engage youth in ongoing initiatives to build a greener and more sustainable East Harlem 3. Explain how to use technology to encourage youth to create change for better health and social outcomes

Keywords: Adolescents, Advocacy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have greater than 20 years experience in public health and have presented at local, national, and international meetings including APHA
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.

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