English as a Second Language Health Literacy Program
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
This research is using a Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) approach to design, implement, and evaluate English as a Second Language health literacy classes for Hispanic adults to reduce lead exposure.
Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
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N/A |
Detailed Description
This Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) aims to:
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Develop a community-based participatory English as a Second Language (ESL) health literacy curriculum for lead exposure that can be used in other locations or programs.
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Determine the outcomes of the curriculum, including changes in knowledge about lead, access to health resources, and health behavioral changes to reduce lead exposure.
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To evaluate the implementation of the ESL health literacy curriculum.
This research focuses on ESL health literacy classes provided to Hispanic adults to reduce lead exposure. This research will use a pilot test with a pre-post test design. The program will last for 8 weeks; with weeks 1 and 8 as the assessment weeks. The curriculum uses pedagogies that move participants from health literacy as functional skill to health literacy as social practice where knowledge is used for empowerment and meaningful change. The goals of this research are to demonstrate increased health literacy knowledge, improved health behaviors, increased access to health services, and improved English language proficiency for Hispanic residents of Flint in relation to lead exposure prevention.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
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Other: ESL Health Literacy Classes The program will last 8 weeks with classes held online during evening hours. The curriculum will focus on using pedagogies for health literacy as a practice. Assessments will be administered pre-post intervention. |
Behavioral: ESL Health Literacy Classes
The intervention will last 8-weeks, and the first and last classes will be devoted to survey assessments. Participants will be asked to reflect on their health knowledge and behaviors, and how they have changed since starting the program. The curriculum administered during the classes will use pedagogies for health literacy as a practice. It will focus on skills needed to learn about lead exposure in the ESL classroom: (1) vocabulary; (2) grammar; and (3) identifying risk factors, symptoms and preventive strategies. A focus on health literacy as practice will include personal engagement using language in context: (1) role-play interactions about lead exposure prevention; (2) discussing views about risk, and how to talk about it with peers and family members; (3) identifying sources of reliable health information; and (4) learning to ask for support and resources.
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Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Change in lead exposure prevention behaviors [baseline and 8-weeks post-treatment]
ESL Hispanic adult learners' lead exposure prevention adherence to the evidence-based recommendations set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for reducing exposure to water containing levels of lead above 15 ppb. Numerical score measured by questions on the Chicago Lead Knowledge Test questionnaire.
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Change in lead exposure prevention knowledge [baseline and 8-weeks post-treatment]
ESL Hispanic adult learners' lead exposure prevention knowledge of the evidence-based recommendations set by the EPA and the CDC for reducing exposure to water containing levels of lead above 15 ppb. Numerical score measured by questions on the Chicago Lead Knowledge Test questionnaire.
- Change in health literacy level [baseline and 8-weeks post-treatment]
ESL Hispanic adult learner's health literacy score. Numerical score measured by questions on the Fostering Literacy for Good Health Today (FLIGHT) Nive Desarollando Amplia Salud (VIDAS) Test.
Other Outcome Measures
- Change in the use of community health services as measured by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [baseline and 8-weeks post-treatment]
ESL Hispanic adult learners' use of community health services (e.g. food security and language barriers at the community clinic). Numerical score measured by questions on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
- Change in the use of community health services as measured by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey [baseline and 8-weeks post-treatment]
ESL Hispanic adult learners' use of community health services (e.g. food security and language barriers at the community clinic). Numerical score measured by questions on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Hispanic immigrants living in or around Flint.
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Native speakers of Spanish, with varying degrees of English fluency and literacy.
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18 years old and older.
Exclusion Criteria:
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Immigrants from other linguistic backgrounds will be excluded at this time because all program materials will be bilingually available in English and Spanish.
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Children will be excluded at this time because we are focusing on ESL health literacy for adults.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
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1 | University of Michigan - Flint | Flint | Michigan | United States | 48502 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of Michigan
- ACE Community Health
- Genesee County Hispanic Latino Collaborative
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Emily Feuerherm, PhD, University of Michigan-Flint
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- HUM #00148555