Oral

The Department of Health and Human Services has developed an Action Plan for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. Included among many of the Plan’s strategies is a call to increase the use of promotores to stimulate participation in health education, behavioral health education, prevention, and health insurance programs. Promotoras de Salud can help patients navigate the health care system; enhance uptake of screening, adherence to treatment, follow-up and referral; disease management and patient-provider communications. Promotoras also help to increase health knowledge and self-sufficiency through outreach, community education, social support and advocacy. In the Hispanic/Latino communities, Promotras have been widely used in cancer prevention and chronic disease prevention programs. This session highlights programs that incorporate Promotoras in interventions to address the prevention of breast and cervical cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Session Objectives: This session provides examples of four interventions to improve the health of Latinos. At the end of the session, the attendee should be able to: 1. Describe effective strategies for increasing knowledge on risk and protective factos for breast and crvical cancer, and cardivascular and diabetes risk factors. 2. Identify factors that contribute to high participation rates in program interventions. 3. Design strategies that use "promotoras" or lay health workers as the primary behavioral change motivator or change agent.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)