title: EmpoweringPromotores de Saludto engage in Community-Based Participatory Research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Latino immigrants are less likely to be involved in addressing health-related issues affecting their own community. Community health workers have played a significant role in addressing the health of underserved communities in several countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this article is to describe the development, implementation and evaluation of a community-based training program that empowerspromotoresto identify the health needs of recent Latino immigrants.Promotoreswere able to develop interventions based on the needs of recent Latino immigrants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Latino community members participated in a 30-hour training program. Training was provided in 15 two-hour sessions over 3 months. Training included field work accompanied by skills development in leadership, organization, interpersonal communication, and survey implementation. Upon completion of the training,promotoresconducted household surveys designed to identify community health needs. The evaluation employed quantitative measures to trackpromotores' canvassing activities and assessment of health behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 22promotoresenrolled in the training program, 15 (68.18%) completed the training program. Within 3 months,promotoresadministered 105 household surveys and identified poor access to health care, lack of insurance (78.6%), low daily consumption of fruits (73%) and vegetables (37.5%) and frequent exposure to tobacco smoke (31.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated the feasibility of recruiting and engagingpromotoresto identify health priorities within the Latino community. This initial step will inform the development of future community-based interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Kansas Medical Center 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MS 1008 Kansas City, KS 66160 acupertino@kumc.edu.
authors.forename: A Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Cupertino
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Kansas Medical Center 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MS 1008 Kansas City, KS 66160 nsuarez@kumc.edu.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Kansas Medical Center.
authors.forename: Lisa Sanderson
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: El Centro, Inc.
authors.forename: Cielo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: El Centro, Inc.
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Kansas Medical Center.
authors.forename: Aura
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Kansas Medical Center.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Kansas Medical Center.
authors.forename: Irazema
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Kansas Medical Center.
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Ellerbeck
keywords: Latinos; Promotores de Salud; health behaviors; immigrants; training