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Latino Health Program

UAB Latino Working Group

Birmingham, Alabama, has been ranked 6th among U.S. cities with the fastest growing Hispanic/Latino population; many of these immigrants are from Mexico. Although immigration brings diversity and enrichment to the community, it also brings social and economic restructuring that is likely to affect its residents. Among the crucial issues to be addressed by the community, in response to a largely non-English speaking immigrant population, are the newcomers’ health status and ability to access health care when needed.

In order to begin an organized effort to address the health needs of this growing population, the Minority Health & Research Center (MHRC) constituted a Hispanic/Latino Health Working Group under the leadership of Drs. Isabel Scarinci (Division of Preventive Medicine) and Graciela Alarcón (Division of Rheumatology) one year ago. This interdisciplinary group of faculty comes from a cross section of departments within UAB (e.g., Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Education, Public Health, Foreign Language, Health Related Professions) committed to work together to promote health and prevent disease among Hispanics/Latinos in Alabama.

Overall Goals:

This group has worked under the three main programmatic areas of MHRC (research, training, and community outreach), and has established the following goals:

(a) To identify health needs faced by the Hispanic/Latino population and coordinate efforts among UAB researchers to develop and implement basic, clinical, and community-based research to address these needs;

(b) To promote understanding regarding the Hispanic/Latino culture in the community;

(c) To promote the interest and knowledge on Hispanic/Latino health issues by undergraduate and graduate students as well as junior faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well as attract potential Hispanic/Latino students to UAB; and,

(d) To work collaboratively with community agencies and individuals in order to improve the quality of life of Hispanics/Latinos in Alabama.

Faculty interested in participating in this initiative should contact Isabel Scarinici, PhD, MPH

Please send us information on your program or research involving Hispanics/Latinos to info@uabmhrc.com.

See also Promotores de Salud (Latino Community Health Advisors)

• Leaders:
• Isabel Scarinci, PhD, MPH
• Graciela S. Alarcón, M.D., M.P.H.

Latino Working Group

Goals
2005 Meeting Schedule
Meeting Minutes
Bulletin
Accomplishments, 2004-2005