Informing Policymaking for Latino Health
By Alicia Edwards
Executive Summary
Ali Edwards, Whitman College
Executive Summary, February 16 2009
Topic: The research for this project has two primary components: healthcare and political information paths, which function in dialogue with one another. The primary aim of this project is to be able to better equip future legislators in Washington State on the topic of Latino Health, based on the data acquired through interviews and primary data. The primary question was designed to access the level of interaction between community health organizations and candidates in targeted Legislative Districts, while interpreting the information through the lens of Latino-specific issues.
Methods: This project conducted a systematic analysis through interviews of both candidates and incumbents for the Washington state house and senate races in the 2008 elections in the 11th Legislative District, 14th Legislative District, 16th Legislative District, and the 42nd Legislative District. Health organizations were also interviewed based on proximity to districts and recommendations from the Washington Health Foundation. This information was supplemented by demographic data found in the most recent available census reports, as of December 2008.
Findings: The literature review indicated that there are many Latino health disparities that have several correlative factors and that community health organizations play a vital role in informing policymaking through the legislative process. The project revealed that there was not a high degree of communication from community health organizations to politicians and candidates. On the whole, my research did not show that higher Latino populations correlated to more in depth knowledge on Latino issues. Most candidates were ranked under the category of moderate knowledge, which is actually low considering the literature base. Further, many of the legislators hit on one the primary limitations of this report's ability to determine legislator's knowledge of Latino health, in that legislators are focused on specialized areas as represented by committee involvement.
Recommendations: My main activist policy implementation is for more organized and concise information sharing from community organizations to legislators. Further, I think that organizations should become more aware of the election cycle and be sure to equip challenger candidates to be informed as well. I think that legislators should in turn seek out information to best represent their constituencies. In the case of the 14th and 16th legislative districts the need for information on Latinos is especially pertinent. I think that the main drive for information sharing should come from community health organizations and not from the legislators because the organizations are the specialists who have access to the best and most applicable knowledge base. It is important to note that information should not be partisan or agenda driven.
Community Partners: This project is indebted to a partnership with the Washington Health Foundation headquartered in Seattle, Washington. WHF has been working since 1992 to make Washington State a healthier state through a combination of tactics including public affairs, policy, grant making and direct service. Jennifer Mielenz Muhm, Vice President of Public Affairs with the assistance of Gina Legaz, Community Relations has been the primary partner for this project. She directed the initial vision for the project from choosing the topic to isolating the legislative districts, and she has provided feedback throughout the duration of the research process from contacts to ways to refocus the methodological tasks at hand.
