Recorded presentation

Nina L. Cossy, Health Education Council, Senior Program Associate, 3950 Industrial Blvd, Suite 600, West Sacramento, CA 95616 and Gale D. Spears, Health Education Council, 3950 Industrial Blvd, Suite 600, West Sacramento, CA 95691, 916-556-3344, gspears@healthedcouncil.org.

A clinic-based, healthy lifestyle project based in Woodland, CA, focusing on nutrition and physical activity education has fostered the natural development of a dynamic community health worker. The project was initially developed to assess the health needs and interest of Latinas, then expanded to meet the reported needs in a culturally and linguistically-appropriate manner. As a participant in the nutrition and physical activity classes that resulted from the assessment component, Sra. Bello absorbed instruction and educational information well, and integrated these lessons into her daily behaviour. She took such ownership of the lessons and recognized their value in her life, that she, without additional tutoring, took the information back to her home in El Potrero, Mexico and developed a promotora-led healthy lifestyles group for women in their tercera edad (senior years).

Now as a community health worker, Sra. Bello is replicating the concepts of social marketing used in the project, by continuing to ask her participants what they want from the classes, and assesses what works and what needs to be modified to meet the class’ expectations. This “international community health worker” has embraced participation by spouses, children and elders in a truly cultural move; the entire family is welcomed to all activities. The local health department has taken notice of the village’s efforts and has begun providing limited professional technical support.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

• Describe 3-4 elements of the Healthy Lifestyles Program that contributed to the natural development of a CHW
• Develop a plan to adapt some of the elements in this program into your own community outreach projects

Keywords: Community Health Promoters,

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.

Recorded presentation