Addressing the Unique Role of Mothers of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as Promotoras de Salud

A model that has been used successfully with Latino populations to provide education and encourage positive health behaviors is the promotora model. A promotora is a lay health educator, or peer leader, who is indigenous to the community in question and receives training to provide health education that encourages behavioral change. Promotores are usually natural helpers who are insiders in their communities and can help motivate other community members around a specific topic or problem. Despite the positive results reported using promotoras with the Latino population, little is known about what specifically makes their work successful and how they experience their role as promotoras. Objective: This study describes the unique role of Latina mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as lay health educators. In particular, the study identifies the specific characteristics that make these promotoras de salud successful in improving positive health behaviors and increasing self efficacy among Latina caregiver mothers of a child with IDD. Methods: We used semi-structured focus group interviews to collect qualitative data about promotoras and participants' experiences delivering and receiving the health education program. Results: 13 promotoras and 30 participants were interviewed. Findings indicate that promotoras play an important role in modeling which helps participants be successful in changing health behaviors. We also found that it is important to match promotoras with participants based on the disability of the child and other factors. Conclusions: The criteria used to select lay health educators needs to be refined to ensure best implementation practices.