Overweight and obesity, lack of exercise, and exposure to tobacco smoke are clearly identified behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease. These problems disproportionately affect some communities. To address these problems within one community of underserved Latinos, participatory research methods were used to design an outreach program. Latina lay health advisors … [Read more...] about The impact of lay health advisors on cardiovascular health promotion: using a community-based participatory approach.
United States of America
Can community health workers improve adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy in the USA? A review of the literature.
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has transformed HIV infection into a manageable chronic illness, yet AIDS mortality among ethnic minorities persists in the USA. HAART nonadherence is associated with increased HIV viral load, low CD4 cell count and racial disparities in HIV outcomes. While there is no universal consensus on how to improve medical adherence in … [Read more...] about Can community health workers improve adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy in the USA? A review of the literature.
Madres para la Salud: design of a theory-based intervention for postpartum Latinas.
Weight gain in young women suggests that childbearing may be an important contributor to the development of obesity in women. Depressive symptoms can interfere with resumption of normal activity levels following childbirth or with the initiation of or adherence to physical activity programs essential for losing pregnancy weight. Depression symptoms may function directly to … [Read more...] about Madres para la Salud: design of a theory-based intervention for postpartum Latinas.
Community health workers and medicaid managed care in New Mexico.
We describe the impact of community health workers (CHWs) providing community-based support services to enrollees who are high consumers of health resources in a Medicaid managed care system. The CHWs provided patients education, advocacy and social support for a period up to 6 months. For all measures, there was a significant reduction in both numbers of claims and payments … [Read more...] about Community health workers and medicaid managed care in New Mexico.
It’s all about the children: a participant-driven photo-elicitation study of Mexican-origin mothers’ food choices
There is a desperate need to address diet-related chronic diseases in Mexican-origin women, particularly for those in border region colonias (Mexican settlements) and other new destination communities in rural and non-rural areas of the U.S. Understanding the food choices of mothers, who lead food and health activities in their families, provides one way to improve health … [Read more...] about It’s all about the children: a participant-driven photo-elicitation study of Mexican-origin mothers’ food choices

