Purpose: To describe: (a) development and implementation of an urban outreach health program for Latino immigrants; (b) nurse-community-health advocate (CHA) partnership roles in primary health care delivery, and (c) lessons learned from these activities over 7 years in urban community settings. Methods: Descriptive study of a community-based health project in a large Midwestern American city. Information was gathered from participants and staff, from observing staff, and from a variety of sources to describe the program and its individual, family, and community effects. Findings: Major findings pertain to the project team's ability to address the health promotion needs of Latino immigrant families and to successfully incorporate CHAs in planning and implementing the program. CHAs were a "bridge" between health programs and the community, promoting cultural sensitivity. CHAs and nurses provided a range of services including health education and promotion, outreach through home visits, assessment of family needs for referrals to appropriate resources, and follow-up support. Conclusions: The nurse-CHA team was an effective strategy for promoting Latino immigrant families' access to needed health care. This framework allowed for flexibility in assisting clients of different cultural backgrounds to obtain appropriate health care. © 2003 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Latino immigrants Case management Primary health care Community health advocate

evaluation education immigrant health promotion nursing psychological aspect Consumer Participation Midwestern United States human health service controlled study Community Health Aides Patient Advocacy health auxiliary Urban Health Services ethnology consumer Hispanic Americans program development health personnel attitude Attitude of Health Personnel United States Nurse's Role nurse attitude health program family Humans Hispanic Community Health Nursing Interinstitutional Relations Nursing Evaluation Research case management Article organization and management program evaluation health education migration health care quality Emigration and Immigration Community-Institutional Relations attitude to health public relations primary health care public health health care delivery