Comprando Rico y Sano: Increasing Latino Nutrition Knowledge, Healthful Diets, and Food Access Through a National Community-Based Intervention.

PURPOSE: Evaluation findings from Comprando Rico y Sano (CRS), a culturally relevant, community-based intervention addressing nutrition knowledge and food access are presented. DESIGN: No-control quasi-experimental intervention with pre, post, and follow-up assessments. SETTING: CRS was promotores-led through UnidosUS's Affiliate Network of community-based partners. SAMPLE: Low-income Latino adults (N = 966) receiving services at 25 partner sites. INTERVENTION: CRS was a six-hour intervention focused on nutrition knowledge and consumption of fruits, vegetables, and home-prepared meals. It also provided guidance for health-conscious grocery shopping, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) information, and enrollment assistance. MEASURES: Self-report surveys assessed nutrition knowledge; intention to change; and frequency of fruit, vegetable, and home-prepared meal consumption. Sites reported monthly SNAP enrollment data. ANALYSIS: Paired-samples t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVAs assessed changes in knowledge, intentions, and behavior from pre-to-post (n = 960) and pre-to-follow-up (n = 115). RESULTS: Pre-to-follow-up increases in nutrition knowledge (P < .001) were observed. Intention to consume more vegetables (P = .027) and home-prepared meals (P < .001) also improved between pre- and follow-up. Increases from pre-to-follow-up were observed for frequency of consuming fruits (P = .007), vegetables (P = .001), and home-prepared meals (P < .001). Across 16 months, 24,359 Latinos enrolled for SNAP. CONCLUSION: Large-scale community collaborations to deliver culturally relevant nutrition education and SNAP enrollment assistance can increase food access, health literacy, and promote healthful diets for Latinos.

Community-centered family health history: a customized approach to increased health communication and awareness.

BACKGROUND: There has been little study of whether family health history (FHH) tools used by individuals, families, and communities inspire measurable changes in communication and behavior. OBJECTIVES: The Community-Centered Family Health History (CCFHH) project was a collaborative endeavor among national and community-based organizations with an interest in genetics education and health. Using community- based participatory research principles as a foundation, CCFHH examined whether the Does It Run In the Family? toolkit, a set of two customizable booklets on health and genetics, encourages discussion and collection of FHH information across diverse communities. METHODS: Five communities across the country measured the utility of customized versions of the Does It Run In the Family? toolkit. Each community partner recruited families, consisting of two or more blood relatives, to use the toolkit for 3 months, discuss it among their family members, and consider the implications of the health information. Pre- and postintervention surveys measured family communication about family history and disease risk and the use of FHH information in health care provider interactions. RESULTS: After aggregate, cross-community analysis of individual responses, from pre- to post-toolkit use family members showed increases in communication about family history of disease risk (p < .05) and in awareness about FHH (p < .05). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that diverse communities are receptive to FHH intervention, and tailored health educational materials can lead to increased conversations and awareness about health issues across communities.