La Comunidad Habla: Using Internet Community-Based Information Interventions to Increase Empowerment and Access to Health Care of Low Income Latino/a Immigrants

Abstract

The innovative educational communication interventions described in this paper include the use of bi-lingual, low literacy level websites and training created by low income Latina women to increase access to health care, health information, and the internet. We focus on one grassroots intervention, aimed at increasing access to health care for under and uninsured Latino/a. We also outline a proposal for an academic-community intervention to increase mental health service utilization of young Latino/a children to indicate future possibilities of such collaborations. We describe the rationale, conceptual framework, theoretical underpinnings, design and implementation, evaluation and institutionalization of this strategy, as well as its challenges and lessons learned.

Keywords:

• Community-based Participatory Research
• Digital Divide
• Health Care Access
• Health Information Seeking
• Hispanic Latino/a

Notes

1. In one project, Head Start staff members were trained as technology coaches to deliver computer-training courses to parents and other community members in an intervention that focused on reducing the digital divide and cancer prevention (Kreps, 2005; Salovey, Mowad, Pizarro, Edlund, & Moret, 2001). However, this strategy did not include using promotoras.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tamar Ginossar

Tamar Ginossar, University of New Mexico, Caner Research and Treatment Center

Sara Nelson

Sara Nelson, Principal, Soda Creek Consulting, Program Director, La Comunidad Habla