Raices: A Promotores Network to Improve Latino Immigrant Health

This proposal examines the potential of a community health worker (CHW) network to improve
health behaviors and health outcomes of Latino immigrants living in an Emerging Latino
Community (ELC; areas with low (<5%), yet growing concentrations of Latinos).CHWs (promotores
in Spanish) are trained individuals from the community who establish interpersonal
connections to reach and serve Latinos and address health disparities.

This proposal builds on two pilot studies conducted by the investigative team: (1) a
community-based intervention delivered by promotores to increase social support and health
care access in immigrant men, and (2) a home-based intervention delivered by promotoras to
improve nutrition and physical activity in Latino preschool children and their families.

Little is known about the potential usefulness of a promotores network in improving both
health care access and engagement in physical activity and healthy eating, compared with
standard informational approaches, among Latino immigrants from an ELC. The proposed research
will address the following specific aims:

(Sp. Aim 1) Develop and implement a structured, promotor/a-mediated intervention to increase
access to care, social support, and engagement in health-promoting behaviors; (Sp. Aim 2)
Examine the feasibility of a structured, promotor/a-mediated approach to peer support, with a
participant-guided goal-setting component; and (Sp. Aim 3) Assess the effectiveness of a
promotores network on increasing access to care, social support, and engagement in
health-promoting behaviors compared with a waitlist-control group. Partnering with a
federally-qualified health center and a social service organization, the investigators
propose to employ a quasi-experimental design to assess the effect of a promotores network on
outcomes measured at 6 months after enrollment, compared with a wait-list control.

The research team will hire and train 16 promotores and 8 community liaisons to recruit,
assess, and deliver the intervention (promotores only). Participants will include adults and
children (≥ 11 years) drawn from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (an ELC). Promotores and RIs
will recruit n=200 intervention and n=200 control participants using similar protocols from
our pilot studies (e.g., word-of-mouth, flyers). The 6 month intervention will include using
motivational interviewing techniques and intervention tools adapted from our previous work,
to assist promotores in eliciting the participants' most important needs drawn from 8 life
domains (e.g., health care, exercise/recreation, social life).

Promotores will guide the participant to set goals and follow-up over the 6 month
intervention period (in-person and via phone) to measure progress, address barriers, and
deliver short educational (health promotion) sessions.

Process evaluation includes a comprehensive set of questions to assess fidelity, dose, reach,
recruitment and contextual factors using multiple data sources. Primary outcomes include
access to care (preventive and usual source of care), social support, physical activity, and
dietary intake. Expected outcomes include: (1) gain valuable information surrounding
feasibility and effectiveness of proposed intervention protocol, (2) contribute to improving
access to care and increasing health-promoting behaviors in Latinos living in an ELC, and (3)
contribute to reducing health disparities in Latino individuals and families. The objectives
of this project are in line with both the CMS mission of promoting better care, healthier
people, and smarter spending for beneficiaries, and the Healthy People 2020 goals of
eliminating disparities. This proposal carries high public health significance because it
targets Latino health disparities through primary prevention and a structured approach to
peer support, as well as maximizes the potential of both men and women promotores to assist
participants living in an ELC

Inclusion Criteria:

1. are between 2 -18 years of age (children) or ≥ 18 years of age (adult),

2. self-identify as Hispanic/Latino,

3. speak English/Spanish, and

4. live in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. non-Hispanic/Latino,

2. primary language other than Spanish or English, or

3. cognitive limitation to complete surveys or interviews.