title: Development of a Health Empowerment Programme to improve the health of working poor families: protocol for a prospective cohort study in Hong Kong.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People from working poor families are at high risk of poor health partly due to limited healthcare access. Health empowerment, a process by which people can gain greater control over the decisions affecting their lives and health through education and motivation, can be an effective way to enhance health, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), health awareness and health-seeking behaviours of these people. A new cohort study will be launched to explore the potential for a Health Empowerment Programme to enable these families by enhancing their health status and modifying their attitudes towards health-related issues. If proven effective, similar empowerment programme models could be tested and further disseminated in collaborations with healthcare providers and policymakers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study with 200 intervention families will be launched and followed up for 5 years. The following inclusion criteria will be used at the time of recruitment: (1) Having at least one working family member; (2) Having at least one child studying in grades 1-3; and (3) Having a monthly household income that is less than 75% of the median monthly household income of Hong Kong families. The Health Empowerment Programme that will be offered to intervention families will comprise four components: health assessment, health literacy, self-care enablement and health ambassador. Their health status, HRQOL, lifestyle and health service utilisation will be assessed and compared with 200 control families with matching characteristics but will not receive the health empowerment intervention.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This project was approved by the University of Hong Kong-the Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster IRB, Reference number: UW 12-517. The study findings will be disseminated through a series of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, as well as a yearly report to the philanthropic funding body-Kerry Group Kuok Foundation (Hong Kong) Limited.
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Colman Siu Cheung
authors: CS
authors: Fung
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Esther Yee Tak
authors: EY
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Vivian Yawei
authors: VY
authors: Guo
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Carlos King Ho
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6895-6071
authors: CK
authors: Wong
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Kenny
authors: K
authors: Kung
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Sin Yi
authors: SY
authors: Ho
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Lai Ying
authors: LY
authors: Lam
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Ip
authors: School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Daniel Yee Tak
authors: DY
authors: Fong
authors: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: David Chi Leung
authors: DC
authors: Lam
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: William Chi Wai
authors: WC
authors: Wong
authors: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Sandra Kit Man
authors: SK
authors: Tsang
authors: School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Agnes Fung Yee
authors: AF
authors: Tiwari
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Cindy Lo Kuen
authors: CL
authors: Lam
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D005192:Family Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care; D020377:Self Efficacy; D000069602:Working Poor
keywords: PREVENTIVE MEDICINE; PRIMARY CARE; PUBLIC HEALTH