Addressing Health Disparities in Hispanic Elders through Community Oriented Coalitions at a National Level

Statement of Problem: Hispanic elders represent the fastest growing segment of the U.S. elder population. They experience various health disparities in comparison to non-Hispanic Whites, including a disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes. Causes for disparities are complex and partially rooted in social injustices.

Objectives Describe a national initiative that addresses health disparities in Hispanic elders

Methods: The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) convened community coalitions in eight Hispanic communities across the US, tasked with reviewing research findings and promising practices to create and implement their own local plans to address one or more health disparities facing Hispanic elders. HHS and consultants provided technical assistance in the form of data sharing of relevant national and local indicators of Hispanic elders, conference calls, site visits, and seminars on principles of community oriented primary care.

Results: All eight coalitions created intervention plans that prioritized diabetes as one of the highest ranking health problems facing the community. Six coalitions based interventions on the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) or Diabetes Self-Management Program. One coalition selected the Diabetes Education and Empowerment Program. One coalition developed community-wide strategies to address health disparities in Hispanic elders based on an environmental scan of local evidence based programs addressing health disparities in this population.

Conclusion: In addressing diabetes, the coalitions favored a community-oriented approach primarily in the form of the CDSMP. Ongoing technical assistance guided the coalitions' creation of intervention plans addressing one or more health disparities among Hispanic elders.