Development and Implementation of a Culturally and Linguistically Centered Nutrition Education Program for Promotoras de Salud (Community Health Workers) to Foster Community Health Education and Outreach in Texas Border Colonias
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Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Promotora Nutrition Empowerment Initiative (PNEI) was developed in response to requests by 7 promotora-researchers in the Construyendo Communidades Fronterizas Mas Sanas (Building Healthier Border Communities) research and outreach program to better equip them in the Texas border colonias they serve. This effort provided a framework for evidence-based, culturally and linguistically centered nutrition education and skill-building modules. Eight educational workshops (4 hours per month) comprised of in-depth nutrition education and skill-building lessons were conducted (December 2012July 2013). Students paired sample t test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test compared pre- and posttest nutrition knowledge scores for each workshop; scores were significantly improved (P =.02). Medial assessment focus group analysis suggested that nutrition education workshops provided worth, impact, and empowerment. Results suggest that collaborative community efforts involving promotoras/community health workers empower and allow for greater opportunities for outreach and delivery of evidence-based community health education to hard-to-reach residents.