Ryan White 2012 Grantee Meeting

The Ryan White Part A and D programs in Bexar County partnered with The Health Collaborative, a non-profit organization to conceptualize, produce, disseminate, and evaluate a Fotonovela project. Needing a low-literacy tool to access Latina women, the group embarked on a strategy to produce age-specific educational materials focusing on HIV/AIDS testing, education, and access to care. A Fotonovela is a familial and historically accepted form of delivering health information in Latino communities. It relies on the use of graphics and limited use of bilingual (Spanish/English) text. The three target groups of Latinas were Jovencitas (ages 18-29), Damas (ages 30-45), and Doñas (ages 45 and older). The educational message, getting tested, using condoms, and accessing services was tailored to each age group to enhance utilization.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn steps in the conceptualization of a Fotonovela project to meet the health literacy needs of the target population.
• Participants will learn to identify key health literacy strategies that recognize cultural and familial competencies to ensure greater access to care.
• Participants will become better able to develop recommendations and/or policies for improving access to care for specific marginalized populations to reduce health disparities.