Community Partner Perceptions of Equitable Implementation Practices for a Promotores de Salud Intervention: A...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• Equitable implementation of community health interventions is crucial for reaching diverse populations.
• Promotores de salud programs are vital for engaging Latinx communities in health initiatives.
• Understanding community partner perspectives is essential for successful intervention development and deployment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore community partner perceptions of practices that support or hinder equitable implementation.
• To identify facilitators and barriers in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a promotores de salud intervention.
• To inform future community-based participatory research and health equity initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Focus groups were conducted with 21 staff members from 5 community-based organizations.
• Participants represented diverse backgrounds, with a majority identifying as female and Hispanic/Latino/a/x.
• Data were collected between August and October 2021 to capture perceptions of intervention processes.

Main Results:

• Congruent practices included communication fostering trust and dismantling power dynamics, alongside a shared mission.
• Incongruent practices involved intervention-community misalignment and research-driven decision-making.
• These perceptions impacted the equitable development, implementation, and evaluation of the health intervention.

Conclusions:

• Equitable implementation requires active engagement with community partners and addressing power dynamics.
• Intervention-community alignment and community-driven decision-making are critical for success.
• Findings offer insights for enhancing future health equity interventions in Latinx communities.