264000 Addressing Asian Pacific Islander health using interagency network analysis

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM

Jenny Hsin-Chun Tsai, PhD, ARNP, PMHCNS-BC , Department of Psychosocial & Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Elaine Adams Thompson, PhD, RN , Department of Psychosocial & Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Background: Cross-sector collaboration strengthens a community's capacity and is recognized as the most cost-effective and sustainable approach for modifying socio-cultural factors contributing to health disparities. Networks—defined by sets of ties connecting people and/or groups—can be used to foster diffusion of health information and practices in a community. Understanding the complexities of networks of social and health services, however, requires identification of the structural linkages among such community resources. Purpose: This presentation will describe an innovative application of systems science methodology, specifically network analysis, for disseminating community-based interventions. Methods: To generate an inclusive network for this research, Chinese and non-Chinese agencies pertinent to immigrant worker health were identified. Data are being gathered through in-person agency interviews jointed by one administrator and one direct service provider. Descriptive statistics and graphs will illustrate network properties (density, cliques, multiplexity, centrality), characterizing agency structural linkages, the strengths of links, and relative position of agencies within the network. Results: Collectively, data integrated across scores of network properties will be used to describe Chinese and non-Chinese agencies' connectivity regarding exchange of information, resources, and services. Understanding patterns of connections is critical to determine each agency's potential for control and flow of health information and resources. Discussion: Community-based collaborative approaches are used to solve public health problems. Network analysis is an innovative and complementary methodology for addressing API health and health disparities by systematically distinguishing interagency networks within and across community sectors and identifying effective interagency linkages to facilitate the diffusion of interventions in community settings.

Learning Areas:
Occupational health and safety
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe network properties used in network analysis 2. Identify relevance of network analysis to public health practice and research, and to the promotion of health equity for Asian Pacific Islanders

Keywords: Community Research, Network Analysis

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the PI of multiple federally funded grants focusing on Asian immigrant worker health. I am the PI of the reported study.
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.