Bridging the Gap: Addressing Immigrant Health Through Community-initiated Screening Events

Area of Science:

• Community Health
• Public Health Interventions
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Growing Hispanic populations in new areas often face lagging medical and social infrastructure.
• Limited data exists on the health status and healthcare access for non-majority cultural and linguistic groups.
• Montana's Hispanic population has rapidly increased, highlighting a need for targeted health services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the healthcare needs of the Hispanic community in Montana through community-based participatory research.
• To design and implement health screening events based on community-identified priorities.
• To foster collaboration and trust between researchers and the community.

Main Methods:

• A Community Advisory Board collaborated to design four health screening events.
• Services included primary care screenings (blood pressure, diabetes, BMI) and oral health.
• A cost-effectiveness analysis compared screening events to traditional health services.

Main Results:

• 140 individuals were screened, revealing 85.7% lacked health insurance and 80.7% lacked a usual source of care.
• High prevalence of overweight (47.1%), obesity (27.1%), and hypertension (63.6%) was observed.
• Screening event services were up to $239 cheaper than comparable services at local health centers.

Conclusions:

• Health screening events designed with community input successfully met a growing need within the Hispanic immigrant community.
• These events identified and addressed significant health concerns.
• The findings underscore the value of community-centered approaches in improving health outcomes and access for underserved populations.