141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

285375
Impact of a community advocacy intervention on partnering agencies and promotoras in southern Arizona

Monday, November 4, 2013

Kerstin Reinschmidt, PhD, MPH , Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Maia Ingram, MPH , Deputy Director, Arizona Prevention Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Kenneth Schachter, MD , Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Samantha Sabo, MPH , Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Sofia Gomez , Arizona Prevention Research Center, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Lourdes Fernandez, Promotora , AzPRC, University of Arizona School of Public Health, Tucson, AZ
Scott Carvajal, PhD, MPH , Health Behavior Health Promotion, Division of Health Promotion Sciences, University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Tucson, AZ
By definition, community health workers (CHWs) advocate not only for individuals, but also for the health of their communities. While individual advocacy is a widely recognized CHW role, recognition and promotion of CHW community advocacy efforts have lagged behind. Given the persistent health disparities in underserved communities, increased training and support for CHWs working toward positive change at the community level is imperative. An important factor for successful CHW community advocacy is the support provided by employing agencies. In 2009, the Arizona Prevention Research Center (AzPRC) collaborated with five health-related organizations to implement Action for Health (Acción), an intervention designed to train and guide CHWs in community advocacy. At the end of this five year project, a CHW community advocacy model will be developed for dissemination. Purpose: We describe the role of organizational environments in promoting CHW community advocacy and how participation in Acción has affected promotoras and their supervisors in partner agencies. Methodology: Using a qualitative approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with organizational leaders, focus groups with promotoras and their supervisors, and took minutes at technical assistant meetings. Data were analyzed thematically and triangulated. Findings were presented to the promotoras for feedback. Findings: Both organizational leaders and promotoras shared new insights and practices in community advocacy and expressed their intention to continue community advocacy. These findings will be presented and the audience will be invited to comment on CHW engagement in community advocacy in their own organizations and whether CHW training and engagement in community advocacy is supported.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Discuss CHW community advocacy. Describe at least two ways in which CHW advocacy has affected CHWs, their supervisors, and their organizations.

Keywords: Advocacy, Community Health Promoters

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked with intervention research and CHWs since 2002 and currently am a co-Investigator on the AzPRC CDC-funded community advocacy project Action for Health/Acción para la salud. My scientific interests have included the roles of CHWs/promotoras.
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.