The North Carolina Hispanic/Latino Lay Health Initiative

1. The North Carolina Hispanic/LatinoLay Health Initiative Barbara Garland August 2006

2. Background North Carolina Institute of Medicine 2003 Latino Health Report The Hispanic Health Task Force, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, NCDHHS Hispanic/Latino Lay Health Advisor Development Team

3. NC Institute of Medicine Findings • Major impediments to Latino health and healthcare are: • Unfamiliarity with health care system; • Ineffective interaction with healthcare providers and vise versa;

4. NC Institute of Medicine Findings, (cont.) • Lack of health literacy • Differing cultural beliefs and practices • Communication barriers

5. NCIM Recommendations • That the NCDHHS take the lead in convening a lay health advisor development group to: • Develop training for Latino lay health advisors • Identify funding sources for programs in counties • with large concentrations of Latino residents

6. Structure Building for a LHA Program • Establishing essential structures and processes for supporting LHA programs at state and local levels: • The Program Coordinator • Importance, roles, qualifications, • time required.

7. Structure Building for a LHA Program (CONT.) • The Structure • Elements: • Leadership, mission statement, • committees, decision making • Lay health advisors: • Natural abilities, skills, niche, • team building

8. Latino Lay Health Advisor Curriculum for LHA Trainers • Train-the-trainer curriculum for program managers • Each chapter includes: • A lesson outline with learning objectives, an • overview, key points, time needed and references • Support materials • Suggestions for presenting the material in a • culturally appropriate manner

9. LHA Trainer’s Curriculum Content • Sessions: • Hispanics/Latinos in North Carolina • Promoting Health in NC • LHA Models that Work • Starting a LHA Program in your community

10. LHA Trainer’s Curriculum Content (cont.) • Preparing for a Lay Health Advisor Program • Using the LHA Curriculum • Supporting and Maintaining a LHA program • 8. Evaluating a Lay Health Advisor Program

11. The Health Modules for LHAs • Health modules contain specific health and health-related information including: • Overview of issue affecting Hispanic/Latino • population in NC • Key points/messages to be shared with • Hispanic/Latino community members

12. The Health Modules for LHAs,(Cont.) • Suggested activities, educational methods • Suggested evaluation questions to determine • learning • Resources for community members

13. LHA Health Module Topics • Chronic Diseases • Injury Prevention • Reproductive Health • Child Health • Communicable Diseases • Mental Health

14. Desired Outcomes of Latino Lay Health Advisor Initiative • State and local agency leadership • and accountability • Clearly defined roles of state and • community partners • Support for Lay Health Advisors in the • form of technical assistance, materials • and resources

15. Desired Outcomes of Lay Health Advisor Initiative, (cont) • Hispanic/Latino Lay health Advisor • programs with defined goals, objectives • and outcomes • Participatory evaluation • Improved health outcomes in the targeted • communities