RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Health Extension in New Mexico: An Academic Health Center and the Social Determinants of Disease
JF The Annals of Family Medicine
JO Ann Fam Med
FD American Academy of Family Physicians
SP 73
OP 81
DO 10.1370/afm.1077
VO 8
IS 1
A1 Kaufman, Arthur
A1 Powell, Wayne
A1 Alfero, Charles
A1 Pacheco, Mario
A1 Silverblatt, Helene
A1 Anastasoff, Juliana
A1 Ronquillo, Francisco
A1 Lucero, Ken
A1 Corriveau, Erin
A1 Vanleit, Betsy
A1 Alverson, Dale
A1 Scott, Amy
YR 2010
UL http://www.annfammed.org/content/8/1/73.abstract
AB The Agricultural Cooperative Extension Service model offers academic health centers methodologies for community engagement that can address the social determinants of disease. The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center developed Health Extension Rural Offices (HEROs) as a vehicle for its model of health extension. Health extension agents are located in rural communities across the state and are supported by regional coordinators and the Office of the Vice President for Community Health at the Health Sciences Center. The role of agents is to work with different sectors of the community in identifying high-priority health needs and linking those needs with university resources in education, clinical service and research. Community needs, interventions, and outcomes are monitored by county health report cards. The Health Sciences Center is a large and varied resource, the breadth and accessibility of which are mostly unknown to communities. Community health needs vary, and agents are able to tap into an array of existing health center resources to address those needs. Agents serve a broader purpose beyond immediate, strictly medical needs by addressing underlying social determinants of disease, such as school retention, food insecurity, and local economic development. Developing local capacity to address local needs has become an overriding concern. Community-based health extension agents can effectively bridge those needs with academic health center resources and extend those resources to address the underlying social determinants of disease.