A Novel Approach to Improve Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities.

Autor/Urheber	Rhonda M. Johnson; Linda Shepard; Rain Van Den Berg; Chelsea Ward-Waller; Polly Smith; Barry D. Weiss
Institution	SLACK Incorporated
Titel	A Novel Approach to Improve Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities.
Quelle	In: doi:10.3928/24748307-20190408-01; 2474-8307; Health Literacy Research and Practice, Vol 3, Iss 3, Pp s15-s24 (2019)(2019) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
DOI	10.3928/24748307-20190408-01
Schlagwörter	adult basic education; health literacy; health care; Public aspects of medicine
Abstract	Background: Anchorage, Alaska, has a large immigrant and refugee population. In fact, it is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States with almost 100 languages spoken by children in the public school system. The city's immigrant and refugee population speaks limited English, and most of these residents are unfamiliar with where or how to obtain health care services through the American health care system. Brief Description of Activity: We developed a peer language navigator (PLN) program. Implementation: The Anchorage Health Literacy Collaborative developed a community-wide program to address the health literacy needs of the city's immigrant and refugee population. Select people who attended Anchorage's adult literacy program (the Alaska Literacy Program) were chosen to learn about health and wellness topics as well as how to obtain health information from reliable online sources. These people, initially known as PLNs, were then trained to share health information resources with their respective communities. Results: A recent evaluation of the program using ripple effects mapping showed that the program has demonstrated wide success, providing understandable health information to hundreds of new English learners throughout the area and guiding them to reliable health and wellness information they can use for themselves, their families, and their community. PLNs have become leaders in their communities and have been renamed peer leader navigators. Lessons Learned: For similar programs to be successful, PLNs should be trained using adult learning principles, allowing them to focus on topics and issues of interest to them. The program should link with community organizations to extend the reach of the program. Care must be exercised to avoid overextending or overwhelming PLNs because after they become leaders in their communities, they will receive many requests to provide guidance and education. Finally, when possible, PLNs should be compensated so they can more fully devote their efforts to serving the community.
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