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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
James N Burdine, Dr PH1, Craig Blakely2, Alicia Dorsey, PhD2, Isidore Flores, PhD1, Larry Gamm, PhD2, Kenneth R. McLeroy, PhD3, Ming Tai-Seale, PhD, MPH2, Monica Wendel, MPH1, and Miguel A. Zuniga, MD, DrPH4. (1) Community Health Development Program, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M University, 3000 Briarcrest Drive, Suite 310, Bryan, TX 77802, 979-845-2387, jnburdine@srph.tamu.edu, (2) School of Rural Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M U, MS 1266, College Station, TX 77843-1266, (3) School of Rural Public Health, 260 Centeq Building, College Station, TX 77843, (4) Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University School of Rural Public Health, 3000 Briarcrest Drive, Suite 300, Bryan, TX 77802
Approximately 10 million people live along the US-Mexico border. Many border residents and communities are experiencing not only rapid growth but dramatic increases in demands for health services. In Hidalgo County Texas, the population grew 50% between the 1990 and 2000 census estimates. Of the current 569,000 residents more than 150,000 live in colonias which are unincorporated, often very low income communities with few resources and little infrastructure (municipal water, paved roads, sewage and trash removal are not found in many colonias). Colonia residents report they are isolated by: remoteness from cities and limited transportation,limited understanding of the system through which health care is provided, limited literacy, embarrassment, legal status, waiting time for receiving an appointment, and health care cost.
Through a project jointly funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and HRSA, a partnership of health care organizations in South Texas are coordinating their activities to improve access to care to residents of two colonias. This process is being facilitated through the training and use of promotoras (lay health workers) working for the partnering organizations. Community Resource Centers are hosting satellite clinics and work stations for staff from the partnering organizations and the promotoras.
An extensive evaluation has been designed to measure changes in perceptions, roles and functions of the promotoras, access to care and health status of colonia ressidents, and process/implementation factors over the four years of the project.
Learning Objectives: By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to
Keywords: Access to Care, Access
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.