Background: Distrust of the health care system is highest among low-income racial and ethnic populations and can potentially create barriers in healthcare access. The cause of this distrust has roots in both institutional racism and personal experience with the majority of the reports occurring among persons who self-identify as Black and Hispanic, although similar encounters have been reported among other diverse populations, such as Native Americans, Asian Americans, immigrants. Among women at risk for maternal-child health (MCH) disparities, the highest levels of distrust have been reported by Black and Hispanic females, and immigrant women. Women who experience discrimination are less likely to seek healthcare because of their perceived experiences of racial bias. The literature shows that CHWs are effective in community-based health promotion strategies by reaching out to marginal underserved groups. However, less is known about CHW attributes in interpersonal communication, including how CHWs facilitate access to healthcare. As members of their communities, CHW’s are uniquely positioned to build trusting relationships with the patients they serve and facilitate health care access.

Method: This proposed study uses a qualitative grounded theory approach to explore the interpersonal communication with at-risk MCH populations from the perspectives of CHWs. Interviews of CHWs who work with at-risk groups will be conducted and analyzed. The findings from the interviews will be the topic in focus group discussions among CHWs who work with MCH populations. The analysis and report of this study is expected to be completed and submitted for publication by March 2021.

Latinos suffer from high obesity and diabetes rates. Juggling home responsibilities, Latino women struggle to remain healthy and promote healthy lifestyles for their families, sometimes succumbing to mental health distress. Behavioral health issues abound and often go unaddressed. Evidence suggests that adding community resiliency model (CRM) stress management skills to interventions may help participants better integrate lifestyle changes into their lives by increasing their ability to deal with stress.

By identifying community resources, exploring needs and identifying residents’ challenges, a culturally-relevant curriculum was developed to promote healthier lifestyles using CRM skills. The program was implemented by community health workers (CHWs), using popular education. Focus group discussions were held and survey and biometric measurements collected.

Although weight loss among participants varied, there was a trend towards healthier weight. Participants committed to making behavioral changes, recognizing their emotions, and implementing stress management techniques with family. Children and adolescents noted physical and emotional changes at home. Moreover we saw significant improvements in participant’s depression, anxiety and stress. The demand for this program and participant testimonies collected provide further evidence of the impact of this approach for Latino communities.

A culturally adapted CHW-led program that promotes Latino fiber-rich foods and resiliency-stress reduction skills (CRM) has the potential of transforming the lives of more than one generation of Latinos. Similar programs should be expanded to schools to improve physical and mental health of Latino families, especially in view of the limited behavioral health resources for this population. A CHW wrote and will present this abstract.

Background: Although not widely studied, evidence of oral health disparities among Asian Americans exist. In NYC, Chinese adults are less likely to ever use preventative dental services compared to other Asian adults. Our community health resources and needs assessment survey of underserved Asian American immigrants in NYC found that 22 percent of Chinese New Yorkers reported oral health as a top concern, of which over two-thirds rated their oral health as poor or fair. As trusted leaders in their community, community health workers (CHWs) bridge the gap between community members and healthcare systems to provide culturally and linguistically tailored health education and services.

Objective: To design and assess a community health worker-delivered, culturally-adapted health education outreach focused on oral health promotion strategies for low-income Chinese Americans with low health literacy.

Methods: Study team, including bilingual, bicultural CHWs, collaboratively developed a culturally-adapted oral health education presentation incorporating health literacy strategies, including adult learning techniques, teach-back communication, and visual props to improve understanding of preventative dental care. Health education sessions were implemented by CHWs at three community-based organizations that serve low-income Chinese Americans. Surveys were conducted at each presentation to assess participant knowledge, attitudes, and usability.

Results: We will present the process of integrating culturally relevant health literacy components into the presentation. Almost all participants reported intention to see dentist within the next 6 months and high satisfaction with the presentation.

Conclusion: CHWs are integral in delivering health knowledge and services to communities with limited resources and English language proficiency.