Promotorasand the Semantic Gap Between Latino Community Health Researchers and Latino Communities

Abstract

Promotoras are identified as a unique group of community health workers adept at reducing health disparities. This qualitative study was conducted to better understand perceptions of the term promotora, broadly used in research but not well documented in everyday Latina vocabulary. Six focus groups to better understand perceptions of the term promotora were conducted with 36 Latina women living in three nonmetropolitan areas in Illinois. Results suggest that Latina participants in the study do not understand the meaning of "promotora" in the same way as it is used in the literature. Latina participants understood "promotoras" as referring to people who sell or deliver information, or organize events in the community that are not necessarily related to health events or community health work. Furthermore, they usually understood the term to refer to paid work rather than volunteering. Results underscore the importance of being sensitive to Latinas' perceptions of community health terminology by assessing their context, needs, and expectations. These findings call researchers' attention to the need to educate certain Latino communities about the concept of promotoras, with implications for the implementation and dissemination of promotora-led community health programs, as the semantic discrepancy could affect the recruitment of promotoras as well as community participation in the programs they deliver.

Mentes Positivas en Acción: A Randomized Feasibility Study of a Promotor-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management Program for Low-Income Spanish-Speaking Latinos

“…Promotores delivered the program with excellent fidelity, demonstrating knowledge of stress and mood management techniques, consistent with other studies of promotor-delivered stress management programs. 20,31 Our academic-community partnership with Monument Impact allowed us to access promotores and participants. We utilized this important community asset to house the project, while building its capacity to deliver a stress management program.…”

“Todo se hace de corazón:” An examination of role and identity among Latina promotoras de salud.

“…The findings of this study also have implications for how local leaders and policymakers can further understand the needs of promotoras and implement changes to offer additional support. In the multibillion-dollar industries of health care and wellness, compensation, including the provision of benefits, appear to be an ethical consideration and promotoras willingness to serve should not be used to overlook financial recognition (Schwingel et al, 2017).…”

Promoting Hispanic Immigrant Health via Community Health Workers and Motivational Interviewing

“…Furthermore, CHWs can increase access to healthcare by communicating sensitive information, advocating on a participant’s behalf, and ultimately creating a partnership with participants. 2,3,16…”

“…1 Several barriers to health for low-income, minority, and immigrant patients increase the prevalence of Hispanic health disparities—ultimately resulting in delayed diagnosis, increased (co-)morbidity, and mortality rates. 2,3 Specifically, Hispanic community members are more likely to face challenging social determinants of health that interfere with healthy behavior and access to quality care, such as poverty, low education levels, language barriers, and an immigration status that does not qualify for Medicaid. 4 This article examines three innovative strategies designed to overcome the health disparities Hispanic immigrants face: the use of community health workers (CHWs), vouchers for preventative health services, and motivational interviewing (MI).…”