Tools & Practices to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease in Sonora Mexico
The growing rate of death from chronic disease in Mexico is devastating; in 2010 alone, the country experienced an increase of 9.5%. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are recognized internationally for providing prevention services in communities with scarce resources, and in Mexico CHWs are integrated into the centralized health system, which provides services to the majority of adults in the country.
The AzPRC and our long-time collaborator El Colegio de Sonora are conducting a study focusing on the prevention of cardiovascular disease and its complications among adults with diabetes in Sonora, Mexico. The 13-week program is being integrated into the Grupos de Ayuda Mutua (Diabetes Support Groups) provided by the Centros de Salud in Sonora. Meta Salud Diabetes is an adaptation of Colson’s primary prevention curricula for CHWs called MetaSalud.
The study addresses a critical health issue in Mexico and among Latinos in the U.S. regarding the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease among people with diabetes. “This research will not only benefit the neighboring population but provides important research and implementation strategies for the U.S. population and Latino population in particular,” said lead researcher Cecilia Rosales, MD, MS, assistant dean of the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health – Phoenix.
"The University of Arizona and El Colegio de Sonora have collaborated for decades to improve the health of vulnerable populations on both sides of the border. This current research project provides us with the opportunity to bolster our commitment and ability to work with public health systems. Together we will be better positioned to face the challenges posed by chronic disease and improve quality of life in diabetic populations in Northern Mexico and eventually in other regions in the country.,” said Catalina Denman, PhD, El Colegio de Sonora.