The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60006

Denise V. Johnson¹, Harnik Gulati¹, Stephanie Farquhar, PhD¹, and Yvonne Michael, ScD². (1) School of Community Health, Portland State University, 506 S. W. Mill St., Urban Center Building, Portland, OR 97207-0751, 503-725-4401, Onyxi2696@aol.com, (2) Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health and Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, CB 669, Portland, OR 97239-3098

Poder es Salud/Power for Health is a community-based participatory research project designed to increase the capacity of members of the African American and Latino communities in Multnomah County, Oregon, to identify health issues and address health promotion and disease prevention. Through the use of Popular Education, Community Health Workers (CHWs) will assist community members in defining health problems and creating solutions. This CDC funded project is a collaborative effort between the Latino Network, Sankofaa Institute of Cultural Learning, the Urban League of Portland, Portland State University, Oregon Health and Sciences University and the Community Capacitation Center of the Multnomah County Health Department. The project steering committee is comprised of 2 representatives from each CBO and 1 representative from the remaining partners. Baseline interviews were conducted with each member to provide an opportunity to follow the development of this ethnically diverse partnership. This presentation will address the challenges encountered while conducting baseline steering committee interviews. These interviews served as a forum for members to identify community assets and challenges; discuss issues of trust and communication between steering committee members; discuss the racial composition of the committee and its potential impact on the future direction of the project; review the collaborative history of the project partners, and express their vision of the project. Analysis of the interview findings using qualitative data analysis software (ATLAS/ti) will be discussed. Based on the findings of the interviews, Presenters will describe relationship building strategies and Popular Education methods developed to strengthen the steering committee member partnership.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, attendees will be able to:
• 1. Articulate the issues affecting the building of collaborative partnerships between members of the African American and Latino communities.
• 2. Apply findings from qualitative in-depth interviews to strengthen a community-campus partnership.
• 3. Develop a plan using Popular Education methodology in monthly steering committee meetings to address identified challenges and concerns.

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.