Training Community Workers/Promotoras for COPD Outreach and Education
Overview
Organization: Breathe California of the Bay Area
Start Date: 04/2021
End Date: Ongoing
Primary Goal: Goal 1: Empower people with COPD, their families, and caregivers to recognize and reduce the burden of COPD.
Secondary Goal(s):
Objective(s):
- Increase public awareness of the risk factors and symptoms of COPD so that earlier diagnosis of symptomatic individuals becomes the norm
- Increase the effectiveness and variety of outreach communication campaigns and activities that utilize evidence-based approaches to raise awareness of COPD, particularly among those at high risk, and help people diagnosed with COPD manage the disease
- Expand opportunities to increase COPD awareness across the public-private spectrum
Collaboration: Action Council in Salinas, California; Salud Para La Gente in Watsonville, California.
Activity Type: Patient education, Event, Campaign, Material or product, Provider education, Service, Training
Activity Description
As with all its lung disease programs, Breathe California primarily served economically poor populations with high rates of asthma, COPD and smoking, those same populations in California that suffered most from COVID-19 due their health disparities. Breathe California traditionally educates vulnerable communities such as: Spanish-speaking agricultural workers in Monterey County, CA; Chinese and Vietnamese-speaking elders in Santa Clara County; seniors of diverse races and ethnicities in San Mateo County; and African American smokers at the local Juneteenth celebration in San Jose, CA. Through this culturally-tailored activity, we worked with an established community partner, Action Council, to train their Promotoras (community workers) to engage families and caregivers, and provided linguistically competent educational materials to reach its diverse communities, some of whom speak obscure dialects. May clients were agricultural and at special risk for COPD. Preparation: Starting in October 2021, we prepared training materials to be used to train Promotoras and materials they would use later to display and distribute to clients, including a flipbook modeled after those used successfully in our asthma home visit program. Most materials were translated into Spanish and printed. Due to the pandemic, a hybrid method of training was used with the first two sessions virtual, covering basic information on COPD, tobacco, secondhand smoke, and asthma. The third session was in person, which proved necessary to review information, provide additional tools and strategies, answer questions, and rehearse presentations. Implementation: Next, Promotoras reached into their communities, to neighbors, friends, and families to share the information they had learned, promote awareness, and provide resources as needed. They did presentations to small groups, individuals over the phone, WhatsApp and Zoom, spread the word in health/resource fairs and even had a radio presentation. Examples of their encounters with clients included: families with members who had chronic symptoms that had not been treated; those diagnosed but not following medical instructions due to misunderstanding or costs; and especially many families being exposed to triggers for COPD or asthma daily. Promotoras referred some families to us for further asthma education, recommended others to reach out to health care providers, and referred clients to the free CA tobacco cessation help line when they perceived clients were ready to think about quitting. They distributed motivational literature to those who were not ready, along with tips to prevent secondhand smoke exposure and alternative cleaning solutions for more lung-friendly environments.Audience
General Audience: Patients, Caregivers or family members, At-risk populations, General public, Health professionals, Policymakers/advocates
Focused Audience: Hispanic/Latino, Asian or Pacific Islander, African American/Black, Caucasian/White, Men, Women
Program Reach: Regional, Local: California, Bay Area: West
Type of Area: Urban, Suburban, Rural
Setting: Community, Home, Workplace, Online
Cost and Funding Sources
$8,000; ($4000 from LMBB and $4000 from another grant)Impact Analysis
12 Promotoras delivered programming to over 400 low income, Spanish or dialect speaking community members, most of whom were agricultural workers.Advice or Lessons Learned
Promotoras not only passed the word but were committed to making a real difference in their community. They reached over 400 people with presentations, distributed over 800 pieces of educational materials, and referred several families to Breathe California for further education! They were trusted sources of information, of the same cultures as the clients, and spoke the same languages; they were able to reach people that we would never otherwise be able to serve. Promotoras had the same limitations trying to stay safe during COVID Times as all of us, but they managed. We learned that they were much more comfortable and confident with in-person work, but that they could also deliver virtual services, if trained. As a group, they asked for virtual group check-ins and even set up a virtual presentation for their community members. We are continuing this valuable program.Contact Information
Breathe California of the Bay Area
Community Outreach Specialist
Several
California