Meeting the health care needs of a rural Hispanic migrant population with diabetes.
BACKGROUND
There is a need for models of health care that provide accessible, culturally appropriate, quality services to the population of Hispanic migrant farmworkers at risk for or diagnosed with diabetes.


OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to describe the Migrant Health Service, Inc (MHSI), Diabetes Program, the conceptual model on which it is based, and 4 types of outcomes achieved over a 3-year period.


METHODS
Types and amounts of medical services and education were studied. Qualitative data obtained from program records and documents were analyzed to determine the nature of the program. Quantitative data were used to measure outcomes of the program.


RESULTS
The multiplecomponent MHSI Diabetes Program is addressing economic, cultural, and language barriers experienced by the target population. The program provides a continuum of health services and education that meet American Diabetes Association (ADA) Clinical Practice Recommendations on diabetes. The program exposes regional health care professionals and university students from numerous academic disciplines to Hispanic farmworker culture.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence-based program management, patient care, and program evaluation are traits of this program, which offers accessible, culturally appropriate, quality health services and education to Hispanic farmworkers. The multicomponent program model has high potential for positively impacting the health of the target population.
College of Nursing, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA. loretta.heuer@att.net
Loretta
L
Heuer
Carla W
CW
Hess
Marilyn G
MG
Klug
D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota; D009658:North Dakota; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data