The Center for Community Health Research

Community health research has been at the heart of the Hispanic Health Council since our founding in 1978. Our discipline–applied anthropology– brings community collaboration to the process of research. The results of each study–the findings and statistics–contribute, sometimes immediately, to improved community health education; closer relationships between the social scientists and the community studied; broader understanding and acceptance of methodologies and science (the technology transfer); and empowerment. The new knowledge becomes an important tool for advocacy, policy reform, social change and better community health. In our work, participant-observation ethnographic techniques are merged with epidemiological survey, surveillance methods, and psycho-social/behavioral assessment to form the Center’s unique ethno-epidemiological and psycho-social approach to community-based health research.

Goals

To develop a better understanding of and to create data bases on health-related issues, health status, health care access and utilization, and health beliefs and behaviors among Latinos and other low-income populations in Hartford, the Northeast region and internationally where applicable.

To improve our direct services by applying the results of study; to evaluate on-going work; and to conduct new needs assessments.

To put our local health issues within a global context through the development of multi-site comparative studies, including both national and international research initiatives.

To publicize the work of the Center’s staff through internal briefings and community meetings; to develop conference presentations that summarize key findings and insights; to publish a newsletter that reports on our current areas of work and research issues of concern; and, to submit articles for publication in professional journals.

To increase the research capacity of the Center through collaboration with other research and community institutions; to translate research findings into community education and advocacy efforts; to explore and adopt new research methodologies and technologies; to stay abreast of developments in research ethics; to build up our research library and data bases; and to expand and diversify our research staff, their research skills and our topical expertise.