290348
Improving health behaviors of Latina mothers of youth with developmental disabilities
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
: 5:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sandy Magana, PhD, MSW,
Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Henan Li, MS,
Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Research shows that Latina mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are typically in poor physical health and have high rates of depression; yet services are often focused on the needs of the child and not on the needs of parental caregivers. In this poster (oral presentation?) we present findings from a culturally sensitive health education intervention based on a promotores de salud (lay health educators) model. The participants (n=100) were randomly assigned to the intervention and the control group (n=50 each), and were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaires both at baseline and at 3-month (end of intervention). The intervention group received one-to-one health education in the form of home visits by promotoras. Repeated measures ANOVA showed higher levels of self-efficacy in health and lower levels of caregiver burden for the intervention group. We also found that the intervention group reported more positive health behaviors for each of the specific subscales of exercise habits, nutrition habits, and self-care habits, as compared to the control group over time. In conclusion, our results suggest a promising health education intervention for Latina mothers who provide lifelong in-home care to their child with IDD.
Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Diversity and culture
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Explain the rationale and design of the present health education intervention for Latina mothers of children with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Describe the characteristics and health status of participants at baseline. Compare health outcomes from intervention and control groups after 3 months. Discuss the significance of current study and possible next steps.
Keyword(s): Community Health Promoters, Caregivers
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of this research study. My research focus is on the cultural context of families who care for persons with disabilities and mental illness and the experiences of parents who have disabilities. More recently, my research has focused on health disparities for minority caregivers and diagnosis and treatment disparities for Latino and Black children with an autism spectrum disorder; and on interventions to reduce health and service disparities.
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.
