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Latina Health

By: Dr Kim Mulvihill
San Francisco Chronicle, September 27, 2001

San Francisco, CA, USA -- Latinas are twice as likely as white women to die from pregnancy-related complications and three times as likely to get cervical cancer, yet many do not have access to healthcare. So, Planned Parenthood has developed a program to break down those barriers.

When it comes to health education, laundromats are not the first place that come to mind. But some women have come to an East Palo Alto laundromat to learn how to take control of their own health.

Jessica Sanchez and Rocio Yniguez are promotoras or health educators -- ordinary women trained to go out into the community and educate other Latinas about reproductive health.

They say because they are Latinas, other Hispanic women are more likely to listen to what they have to say. "They see a person who could be of their family, could be someone who lives in their community, and someone who is also an immigrant to this country who they can relate to," Sanchez explains.

The program was created by Planned Parenthood. It's a way of reaching out into communities that traditional methods often miss. The promotoras talk about reproductive health and a lot more.

"For example, asthma is an issue in the Latino community, diabetes is an issue, there are higher incidences in that community so giving them the information they need about something that is a chronic condition in that community," says Planned Parenthood's Dian Harrison.

They not only provide the women with information, but also help put them in touch with clinics or doctors if necessary. "This informs women in the community to let them know there are services out there that are very low-cost, that are confidential, that don't require documentation, and are comprehensive," says Sanchez.