Article Figures & Data
Tables
HERO=Health Extension Rural Office of the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Live in community Link local community health needs with UNMHSC resources Mobilize participation of different sectors of the community Improve local health services and systems Encourage youth to finish school, enter health careers Recruit and retain local health workforce Bring latest research, evidence-based health care practices to community Strengthen community capacity to address local health problems HERO=Health Extension Rural Office; UNMHSC = University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Develop relationships between HERO agents and UNMHSC Programs Listen for needs and opportunities Know a range of UNMHSC resources that are available Develop a HERO “tool box,” which includes training, technical assistance, community organizing, resource development, health content area expertise, meeting facilitation, network and collaboration development. - Table 3.
2007 Top Health Priorities From 31 County and 6 Tribal Health Councils Compared With UNMHSC Research Priorities
County Health Councils’ Priorities UNMHSC Research Priorities (Signature Programs) UNMHSC = University of New Mexico Health Science Center. Substance abuse Cancer Teen pregnancy Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases Obesity Brain and behavior Access to care Child health Violence Infectious disease and immunity Diabetes Environmental health
Additional Files
Supplemental Figure
Supplemental Figure 1. Office for Community Health: county report card.
Files in this Data Supplement:
- Supplemental data: Figure - PDF file, 1 page, 90 KB
The Article in Brief
Health Extension in New Mexico: An Academic Health Center and the Social Determinants of Disease
Arthur Kaufman , and colleagues
Background Researchers from the University of New Mexico describe a statewide program aimed at improving community health and local capacity in rural New Mexico by identifying community health priorities and linking them with resources from the University of New Mexico Health Services Center.
What This Study Found Modeled after the Agricultural Cooperative Extension Service, the Health Extension Rural Offices (HEROs) program enables health extension agents to attend to more than just immediate, strictly medical needs by addressing underlying social determinants of disease, such as school retention, food insecurity, and local economic development through community engagement.
Implications
- The HERO program has shown that, to help address community health needs, academic health center resources can be integrated and linked to resources in other parts of the community, such as education, food distribution, economic development, and policy.
- The authors suggest that programs similar to HEROs could be reproduced in other cities and towns.