The Health Initiative at the Gaston Institute

Latinos are among the largest percentage of the nation's uninsured and underinsured, and they are chronically underrepresented in health policy positions and the medical occupations. Therefore it is important to seek mechanisms for the Latino community to actively participate in the identification of its priority health issues and in the development of solutions to its health problems. The Health Initiative of The Gaston Institute is directed by Dr. Ralph Rivera, and it focuses on three distinct areas:

• Conduct basic and applied research on Latino Health issues;
• Provide capacity-building and technical assistance such as resource assessment, needs assessment, and training to health and human service providers and community-based organizations; and
• Disseminating relevant information to health care providers, Latino community activists, policy makers, and other interested individuals.

• Basic and applied Research Projects:
  • Empowerment, Family Responsibilities, and Health: The Experience of Latino Women in the United States.
  • Five-Year Evaluation of the ROCA Substance Abuse Early Intervention for High Risk Youth Project.
  • Evaluation of "Espanol para El Mejor Cuidado del Paciente" (Spanish for Better Patient Care), Project at Brigham Women's Hospital.
  • Consultation for "An Intensive Study of Functioning and Well-Being in Five Ethnic Populations."
  • Consultation for Study on "Nutrition and Frailty among Elderly Hispanics in Massachusetts."
• Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Projects:
  • Community Resource Assessment of Three Boston Neighborhoods for the Casey United Urban Mental Health Initiative.
  • Training on "Latino Cultural Values: Implications for Medical Care Delivery".
• Dissemination Activities.
• Other Health Related Activities:
  • Latino Health and Medical Health Research Group.