2. Outreach Using an LHP/PR Model:
How does a LHP/PR model reach marginalized and isolated minority immigrant women?
MSCS directly reached 919 women with health promotion activities, almost one third of the entire target population (Hispanic women living in Ottawa 16 years and older).
- The combination of public events (4), shopping centre displays (3), workshops (27), home visits, and individual contacts responded well to the information and support needs of Hispanic women in the community.
- The link between research and health promotion practice enhanced the outreach activities to isolated minority immigrant women. 244 women participated in an in-depth interview or survey and were reached this way. In the process of identifying potential participants, LHP/PRs were able to distribute project information to women and to invite them and their families to events and workshops
- In addition to the more traditional venues for providing health education (community health centres, resource centres), workshops conducted in either LHP/PR’s homes or those of other community members (12 in total) were particularly successful in setting a comfortable atmosphere and reaching many isolated women. Workshops announced during church services and conducted after the service (6 in total), also were attended by many women, who otherwise would have not been reached.
- Workshop evaluations indicate that participants increased their knowledge about breast cancer screening tests (99%), mammography (89%) and cervical cancer screening procedures (79%) and were satisfied with the types activities offered by MSCS. The post health survey also indicated that women’s knowledge about health services, particularly community health centres, had increased.
- The openness and warmth of the LHP/PRs, and their skills as trained listeners during home visits, coupled with communication in a common language, led to many referrals to community resources and service organizations.
- LHP/PRs began to broaden their outreach to other ethnoracial minority women by doing a combination of presentations and workshops during ESL classes, reaching about 72 other linguistic minority women. The Festival de Salud, and CCHC’s multicultural festival also reached out beyond the Hispanic community, and attracting over a hundred participants from 20 different linguistic backgrounds.
- Preliminary analysis of the health survey led to identification of other areas of health need in the community (such as diabetes, depression).
