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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Maurine Jones, PhD, Linda Contreras, MPH, and Lakeva Evans, MPH. Florida State University, Center for Health Equity, 355 B North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301, 850 577-1421, maurinejones@earthlink.net

A four year Federal Healthy Start grant, funded through Health Resources and Services Administration, was awarded to the FSU Center for Health Equity to implement strategies focused on eliminating racial disparities in infant mortality in Gadsden County. The interventions target African American pregnant women and mothers of children up to age two and include outreach, case management, and education.

The role of the peer health advocates (PHAs) is focused on increasing compliance with health care and case management services. The PHAs also facilitate peer support and education groups and conduct outreach to educate families about risk factors.

This evaluation study, funded through the National Institutes of Health, examines the impact of peer health advocates on knowledge and attitudes and the number/percent of prenatal care appointments kept and case management services received.

A pre-experimental one group pretest - posttest design was employed that measured knowledge and attitudes. In addition, records were reviewed, prior to the use of PHAs, to establish a historical comparison group and for the intervention group.

Preliminary data indicate that participants showed improvement in douching behaviors and knowledge about risk factors related to infant mortality including bacterial vaginosis and knowledge of baby spacing. Only 26% of the intervention group said they received follow up case management services due to lack of transportation and waiting lists for services.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to

• Describe the use of peer health advocates in the context of a Federal Healthy Start Project
• Assess the advantages of using peer health advocates to improve utilization of services and improve knowledge of risk factors.
• Apply learned lessons to the implementation of a peer health advocate model.

Keywords: Utilization, Behavior Modification

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered