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

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.