Community-academic Initiative to Improve Knowledge of Parkinson’s Disease in Hispanic/Latino Community Health Workers
Carla Aranda1, Paulina Gonzalez-Latapi1, Jennifer Fearday2
1Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 2Community Engagement, Parkinson's Foundation
Objective:
Examine the effects of educational workshops to expand the knowledge of Parkinsons Disease (PD) in Hispanic/Latino community health workers.
Background:
-PD is a movement disorder that affects approximately 1 million people in the US, with a 4-year cumulative incidence of 40 per 100,000 among Latinos.
- Studies have shown a lack of awareness of PD symptoms and lower likelihood of being evaluated and managed by a neurologist in this population. As such, PD awareness interventions may be particularly valuable in this group.
Design/Methods:
-Two educational workshops, given in Spanish, hosted by an NU movement disorders specialists in partnership with the Parkinson’s Foundation were given to 81 community health workers from ENLACE Community Health in the Chicagoland area.
- Workshops educated community health workers on PD causes, signs and symptoms, treatment, and resources.
- A survey measuring baseline knowledge of PD was given before and after each workshop.
Results:
Post-test results revealed:
- 43.4% described feeling very familiar and having great knowledge about PD and its care while 51.8% reported knowing some basic facts.
- The majority (88%) identified PD as a progressive and (98.8%) multifactorial disorder.
- 94.3% acknowledged that there are other symptoms associated with the disease aside from the motor symptoms.
- 81.1% answered that the goal of PD treatment was to reduce symptoms and 98.1% considered exercise beneficial in PD.
- 98.1% knew where to find resources about PD.
Conclusions:
- Surveying Hispanic/Latino community health workers in the Chicagoland area after educational workshops given in Spanish, revealed a significant increase in their knowledge about PD.
- Educating community health workers in their native language about PD can help raise awareness in the Hispanic/Latino community.
- This pilot program could be expanded to other underrepresented groups to help increase knowledge on PD.