Engaging Latinos in an Academic-Community Partnership in Montana through a Health Screening Event

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research
• Health disparities
• Minority health

Background:

• Engaging minority populations, specifically Latinos in Montana, in research presents unique challenges.
• A health screening event was implemented as a strategy to recruit this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To initiate the development of an academic-community partnership.
• To engage the local Latino community in research endeavors.

Main Methods:

• An interdisciplinary team collaborated with community stakeholders to plan the event.
• Services offered included health screenings (blood pressure, BMI, diabetes), flu vaccinations, and lunch.
• Participants were invited to volunteer for future focus groups.

Main Results:

• Thirty-five individuals attended the health screening.
• Twenty-nine participants volunteered for subsequent research activities.
• Most attendees lacked health insurance and regular medical care, and presented with overweight/obesity and no diabetes.

Conclusions:

• Community health screening events are effective in engaging minority groups in research.
• This initiative represents a foundational step in building a sustainable academic-community partnership.
• The study's approach can be adapted for engaging other underserved populations.