142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Evaluation of GoogleMaps Engine as a Tool for HIV Outreach in Difficult to Reach Communities

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Carolyn Reckhow, BA , Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Taylor Hall, MA , Boston University School of Social Work, Center for Addictions Research and Services, Boston, MA
Deborah Chassler, MSW , Center for Addictions Research and Services, Boston University School of Social Work, Boston, MA
Timothy Purington, M.Ed. , Tapestry Health, Inc., Springfield, MA
Richard Pedraza , Tapestry Health, Springfield, MA
Nellie Kuilan , Tapestry Health, Springfield, MA
Lena Lundgren, PhD , Center for Addictions Research and Services, Boston University School of Social Work, Boston, MA
Background: The Tapestry Health SAMHSA-funded HIV prevention effort targets at-risk Latinas in Springfield, MA. Outreach workers travel the city knocking on doors, educating about HIV rapid testing services, and gathering data on at-risk Latina community members. The breadth of canvassing is limited by time, personnel numbers, and the geographic extent of the city. Managers and outreach workers need a tool to develop a method for their door-knocking campaign location choices.

Description: Using GoogleMaps Engine Lite, a free mapping tool, researchers will work with grant project managers and outreach workers to modify a map of Springfield using Census and Massachusetts Department of Public Health data on demographics, drug overdoses, and HIV rates. The project incorporates user-friendly nonprofessional GIS instruments to create an interactive map that workers can use on iPads in the field and update as suggestions and changes are made.

Lessons Learned: Current findings include feedback about the helpfulness of the health information displayed and suggestions for including domestic violence information in newer versions. Further feedback transforming the map to more effectively indicate neighborhoods to target in canvassing, leading to a broader knowledge base on application of mapping technology to community outreach work is expected.  

Recommendations: Free and low cost beta technology is a resource to be explored. The ranges of possible benefits are currently unknown but greatly promising. Seeking out accessible technology to create innovative outreach work in public health human service delivery and research is vital and advantageous to the field.

Learning Areas:

Communication and informatics
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
Design an interactive map using free beta technology for community HIV outreach with Latinas. Identify helpful or confounding additions to the map and develop new versions to optimize accessibility and use. Evaluate benefits of using mapping technology in community outreach HIV work.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Community-Based Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an MSW student working as a research assistant with the Center for Addictions Research and Services at Boston University, with special attention on Tapestry Health's SAMHSA funded "Door to Door" HIV outreach grant.
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.

Back to: 5020.0: Behavioral Science/Health Education Student Posters #3