Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health Shannon Sparks, PI Beth R. Peterman, Program Manager Pang Vang, Project Coordinator Mayhoua Moua, Lay Health Educators Coordinator Lisa Phillips, Community Resource Specialist

Formation and Development April 2008 – April 2009 – First funding rec’d from Wisconsin Partnership Program (WPP) for planning grant work with the objectives of: Consortium formation Community dialogs with Milwaukee Hmong community about cancer Data work with cervical cancer screening rates

Consortium Partner Agencies St. Michaels’ Church-fiscal agent UW-Madison School of Human Ecology -Academic Partner City of Milwaukee Health Department UW-Milwaukee College of Nursing Institute for Urban Health Partnerships House of Peace Community Nursing Center WI Department of Health and Human Services ABCD After Breast Cancer Diagnosis American Cancer Society Hmong American Women’s Association Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division of Public Health 16 th Street Community Health Center Lee Medical Clinic Collaborative Center for Health Equity (UW-ICTR) Planned Parenthood of WI Milwaukee

Use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) CBPR is a “collaborative approach to research that equitably involves all partners in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each brings.” (W. K. Kellogg Foundation) – Begins with a research topic of importance to the community – Has the aim of combining knowledge with action and achieving social change to improve health outcomes and eliminate health disparities The Consortium has strived to involve community members, stakeholder agencies, and academics as equal partners in the research and implementation process since its inception.

Advantages of using the CBPR model in the Hmong community Ensures health concerns of primary concern to the local community are prioritized. Local perspectives and understandings of the health issue are integrated into research and program implementation. Ensures project approaches & materials are culturally appropriate and a good fit to community needs. Helps facilitate community ownership of project.

Challenges of using the CBPR model in the Hmong community Can be challenging to secure regular participation of key stakeholders in the context of strained community capacity. – Less than ideal collaboration and capacity sharing between community-based organizations with analogous missions Community participation more difficult to secure during growing season (families busy with planting/tending gardens)

Lessons learned to-date Set ground rules or expectations Importance of building in team building time! Have timeline Have a champion Make sure to have a knowledgeable priority population as a partner Clarity with every partners’ role & responsibilities

Current project Lay health education and patient navigation – Goal: To increase rates of breast and cervical cancer screening and reduce cancer morbidity and mortality among Milwaukee Hmong women through development and implementation of culturally‐appropriate lay health education and peer navigation programs

– Objectives: 1.Make positive changes in knowledge about and attitudes towards cancer and cancer screening among members of the Milwaukee Hmong community 2.Increase rates of breast and cervical cancer screening among Milwaukee Hmong women 3.Mentor/navigate newly diagnosed Hmong breast and cervical cancer patients and increase understanding of and satisfaction with the cancer treatment process Current project

Future directions Increase community, academia & agencies’ engagement & collaboration Use the Community Health Worker Model in the Hmong community at a statewide level in Wisconsin Address other health problems prioritized by the local Hmong community

Thank you! Funding for this project was provided by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health from the Wisconsin Partnership Program. Additional thanks to the Collaborative Center for Health Equity, UW-ICTR