title: Amigas Latinas Motivando el ALMA (ALMA): Development and Pilot Implementation of a Stress Reduction Promotora Intervention.
abstract: Use of mental health care services for psychological distress is limited among Latino immigrants. In geographic areas where migration has been rapid, mental health systems possess limited capacity to provide bilingual and bicultural assistance. The development of a bilingual and bicultural workforce is a necessary yet long-term solution. More immediate strategies, however, are needed to meet the needs of immigrant Latinos. This paper describes the development of a stress-reduction focused, lay health advisor training that targets individual behavior change among Latina immigrants. The theoretical foundation, curriculum components, and pilot implementation of the training are discussed. As natural leaders, Latina promotoras disseminated learned strategies and resources within their communities. The lay health advisor model is a salient method for disseminating information regarding mental health and stress reduction among Latinas.
authors.affiliation: Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Health in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: India J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Ornelas
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Health in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Anh N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Health in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lyn
authors.affiliation: Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC ; Department of Social Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Giselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corbie-Smith
keywords: Immigrant; Latinos; Lay Health Advisors; Mental health; Promotoras