Reaching out to America's immigrants: community health advisors and health communication.
OBJECTIVE
To describe clinical services and health communication needs for recent immigrants.


METHODS
A review of relevant health behavior and policy research published in the past 20 years was conducted.


RESULTS
Health coverage for primary care, prenatal and safety net services needs to be continued for all immigrants. Legislative bodies should repeal those aspects of welfare reform laws that diminish funding for health programs. English training provides efficient and effective access to health care and health communication. Finally, health communication messages mediated by community health advisors constitute an effective alternative to mainstream health communication.


CONCLUSIONS
Societies whose populations consist primarily of immigrants need to be better prepared to promote the health of this group.
Elder
John P
JP
Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA. jelder@mail.sdsu.edu
D000069:Acculturation; D035841:Behavioral Research; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D011634:Public Health; D040241:Social Marketing