Latino Nutrition, Health and Chronic Disease Prevention: Institutionalizing Latino-specific cultural competency through university-based curriculum development

Background: As the largest minority group in the US, Latinos face an increasingly high risk of obesity, overweight and nutritionally-related diseases. Furthermore, the high fertility and youth of Latinos render the training of healthcare professionals imperative to address Latino-specific health disparities. Development of a culturally competent curriculum focusing on Latinos is essential within the field of health and human services at the university level, particularly at a Hispanic Serving Institution.

Methods: The Latino Nutrition, Health and Chronic Disease Prevention course was developed, approved, and offered as an upper-division, 3-unit course at California State University, Long Beach. Topics included: Latino health profile; cultural similarities and differences between Latino subpopulations; the diversity of diet across the Latino diaspora; chronic disease risk and nutrition as prevention; and programs impacting Latino nutrition and health. Furthermore, the course curriculum emphasizes the use of community-based participatory research methods and student experiential learning to design interventions that create positive behavioral change within Latino populations. This presentation will provide an overview of course development, content, and discuss steps for the successful integration of community health-related diversity within the curricular fabric at the university level.

Results: Twelve undergraduate students from multiple disciplines enrolled in the pilot course. Successful completion and evaluation collected from the students supported the permanent institutionalization of the course.

Conclusion: Further efforts are being made to develop additional courses and create a Latino Health and Nutrition Studies certificate, which will provide health and human services students with a thorough background on chronic disease prevention among Latinos.