The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40415

Marcella Smith, Center for Human Services, 17018 15th Ave. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155, (206) 362.7282 x.270, sfscoord@chs-nw.org and Alison A. Eisinger, MSW, MPH, Epidemiology, Planning, and Evaluation Unit, Public Health -- Seattle & King County, 999 Third Ave., 12th floor, Seattle, WA 98104.

Background: This presentation highlights one of several Data Collection Partnerships established by the Communities Count Social and Health Indicators Initiative in King County, Washington. Communities Count reports biannually on 29 indicators, including several for which primary data are collected through a telephone survey. The partnerships were intended to capture the perspective of residents who because of language, culture, immigration status, or income were unlikely to have been included through traditional community assessment methods. Focus groups were carried out by bilingual and bicultural staff at local partner agencies which serve immigrant, low income, and ethnic minority communities. The groups addressed two indicators: Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Social Support. Health department staff provided training and technical assistance, while agency staff translated tools, facilitated groups, and did preliminary qualitative data analysis. We will present selected findings from six focus groups carried out with Spanish-speakers by staff from the Center for Human Services, an agency serving a large Latino population. Findings include: changing sources and kinds of support for Latino immigrants, the development of informal support networks, and inter-group relations. Context for these findings will be provided through comparison with results from the 23 focus groups with other low income, immigrant, and cultural groups carried out for Communities Count. The presenters will describe the process of working together throughout the project, and discuss the lessons learned from this effort. Finally, we will discuss opportunities for building on the partnership and the research to engage community members, agencies, and policy makers.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, participants will be able to
• Describe the rationale and process for developing research partnerships to collect primary qualitative data from under-represented populations;
• Recount findings from Latino focus groups about social support and neighborhood cohesion; and
• Discuss next steps for building on the research partnership and using research findings to inform programs and policies.

Keywords: Latinos, Collaboration

Related Web page: www.communitiescount.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.