SoLaHmo

Who we are

SoLaHmo Partnership for Health & Wellness (SoLaHmo) is a community-driven research program at Community University Health Care Center (CUHCC). We are made up of Somali, Latino/a/x, Hmong, Karen, Vietnamese, Native American, Black/African American and LGBTQ/Two Spirit community members and health care professionals in partnerships with academic researchers.

35

Active Members

100+

Community Members Trained

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SoLaHmo Research Group Information

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SoLaHmo Research Group Information

History

2008 – Held dialogues with Somali, Latino, and Hmong community. Supported by Blue Cross-Blue Shield Foundation of Minnesota to create an asset framework for the Hmong, Latino, and Somali communities. Conducted 2-3 dialogues per community with a total of 72 participants in West Side’s patient area.

2009 – Conducted empowerment education with 10 community members to become Community Researchers in CBPAR.

2010 – Conducted a strategic planning process with Somali, Latino, and Hmong community members, which formed SoLaHmo.

Values

SoLaHmo recognizes that community-based research takes place within the context of historical and current social injustices and trauma that contribute to existing health disparities. Throughout history, research has been used to stigmatize, racialize and disempower communities of color and other marginalized groups.

  1. SoLaHmo addresses the social and structural determinants of health to achieve health equity and social justice. 
  2. SoLaHmo practices an anti-racist research approach with shared leadership and decision-making.
  3.  SoLaHmo takes a cultural strengths-based approach to doing research. 
  4.  SoLaHmo models the practice of cultural humility.

SoLaHmo seeks research partners committed to these values

Cultural Asset Framework

We believe that considerable community and cultural strengths exist that if recognized, built upon and perpetuated, may be protective for health. SoLaHmo conducts research and develops actions (i.e., programs/interventions/policy) through the lens of a community and cultural asset framework, in order to maximize health where it is strong, and address disparities where they exist.

Impact

  • Improves Community Health / Clinical Care
  • Increases Capacity of Community Members and Academic Partners
  • Supports Community Members’ Careers (Pipeline to Academic Health Science Careers)
  • Influences National Best Practices for CBPAR

CBPAR: Community-Based Participatory Action Research Projects

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Publications

SoLaHmo Partnerships and Approaches- Publications

SoLaHmo Partnerships and Approaches- Presentations

  • Interdisciplinary and Multisectoral Action to Address the Social Determinants of Health –  Culhane-Pera K, Hang M, Millien C, Ortega LE, Pergament S. Bridging Clinic and Community. Social Medicine Consortium 2016 Conference: Reimagining Social Medicine. April 30, 2016.
  • Community Participatory Research by Somali, Latino, and Hmong Communities: SoLaHmo – Pergament S, Ortega L, Ahmed A, Hang M, Navas M. Teenwise Minnesota Annual Conference. Brooklyn Center, MN. May 6, 2011 (Workshop).
  • SoLaHmo Partnership for Health and Wellness: CBPAR for Community Health Centers. Culhane-Pera KA, Ortega L, Ahmed A, Hang M, Navas M, Pergament S.Many Faces of Community Health Conference. St Louis Park, MN. October 29, 2010. (Workshop)

SoLaHmo Partnerships and Approaches- Posters

  • HPV Vaccination in Hmong Adolescents: Multi-Level Communication Strategies for HPV Vaccination in Hmong Adolescents
  • Very Important Pharmacogenes in the Hmong Community (VIP-Hmong)
  • GOUT-H in the Hmong Community (Genetics Of Hyper-Uricemia Therapy in Hmong)
  • Somali, Latino, and Hmong Parental Perceptions and Practices of Raising Healthy-Weight Children – Arcan C, Pergament S, Rosas-Lee M, Ortega LE, Thao MS, Xiong MB, Vang C, Culhane-Pera KA. 2012 Summit on the Science of Eliminating Health Disparities. National Harbor, MD. December 2012.
  • Report from NIH Grant – Allen M and Culhane-Pera KA. Partners in Research. North American Primary Care Research Group Annual Meeting, Seattle Washington, November 15, 2010.
  • Partners in Research: Maximizing Immigrant and Refugee Health through Community-based Participatory Action Research – Allen M and SoLaHmo members. Partners in Research Meeting – National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD. October 25, 2009.
  • Healthy St. Paul Families: Utilizing Somali, Latino & Hmong Cultural Assets to Promote Healthy Diet & Physical Activity – Hang M, Omaar L, Ortega LE, and Pergament S. Many Faces of Community Health Conference. October 25, 2012.
  • Somali, Latino, and Hmong Parental Perceptions and Practices of Raising Healthy-Weight Children – Rosas-Lee M, Arcan C, Pergament S, Culhane-Pera KA. University of Minnesota Community of Scholars Program. October 19, 2012.

SoLaHmo Partnerships and Approaches- Reports

SoLaHmo Partnerships and Approaches- Newspaper Articles

  • Immigrant Microbiome Project: Characterization of the Obesogenic Gut Microbiome Among Immigrant. Micro-Organisms / Macro Effects. Newspaper report by Stephanie Xenos. College of Biological Sciences. 2015.   One page PDF Summary    —  Knights Lab Summary
  • SoLaHmo: Building on Cultural Strengths for Safe, Healthy & Strong Families and Communities – Hang M, Thao MS, Xiong MB, Vang C. Hmong Times Online. April 8, 2012

SoLaHmo Partnerships and Approaches- Radio

  • Somali, Latino and Hmong Radio Stories about Children’s Healthy Eating & Exercise: Findings from a SoLaHmo Pilot Study – Serrano L, Arcan C, Culhane-Pera KA, Pergament S, Adam K, Chang XGS, Dhore N, Dualeh H, Hang M, Ly N, Navarrete M, Omaar L, Ortega LO, Rosas-Lee M, Thao MS, Vang C. International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) San Diego, May 21-24, 2013.
  • Somali, Latino and Hmong Radio Stories about Children’s Healthy Eating & Exercise: A SoLaHmo Pilot Study (Findings) – Serrano L, Arcan C, Culhane-Pera KA, Pergament S, Adam K, Chang XGS, Dhore N, Dualeh H, Hang M, Ly N, Navarrete M, Omaar L, Ortega LO, Rosas-Lee M, Thao MS, Vang C. 2013 Poster Session and Awards Dinner “The Power of Partnerships.” St. Paul, MN. November 20, 2013.
  • Somali, Latino and Hmong Radio Stories about Children’s Healthy Eating & Exercise: A SoLaHmo Pilot Study (Methods) – Serrano L, Arcan C, Culhane-Pera KA, Pergament S, Chang XGS, Dhore N, Dualeh H, Hang M, Ly N, Navarrete M, Omaar L, Ortega LO, Rosas-Lee M, Thao MS, Vang C. Discover through the lens of innovation: CTSI 213 research conference. Mpls, MN. October 1-2, 2013.
  • Frogtown Community Radio (WFNU): “SoLaHmo Voices” (weekly, 2016)
  • SoLaHmo Healthy Lifestyle Stories: 9 radio stories about the prevention of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity (3 stories in Somali, 3 in Spanish and 3 in Hmong). The stories are based on true success stories from interviews with local families in each of the three communities. (Audio in Somali, Spanish and Hmong; written scripts also available in English)
  • Somali Stories (Mondays, 6-7pm)
  • Hmong Stories (Wednesdays, 6-7pm)
  • Latino Stories (Fridays, 6-7pm)

Partnership Building Tools

Other Publications

Radio Stories

Hospice Radio Stories

The Hospice Stories Project, a collaboration between Minnesota Network of Hospice & Palliative Care (MNHPC), SoLaHmo Partnership for Health and Wellness (SoLaHmo) and ECHO, is building culturally relevant awareness around hospice care in Latino, Somali and Hmong communities in the Twin Cities.

These radio stories are based on true stories from interviews with local families in Hmong, Somali, and Latino

Video:  Spanish  –  Hmong  –  Somali  –  English

Audio 

Hmong Radio Story: Hmong  –  English.

Somali Radio Story Somali  –  English

Latino Radio Story Spanish  –  English

More Info

Healthy Lifestyle Radio Stories

Video: YouTube Audio Links

Scripts

Hmong/English: Obesity  –  Hypertension  –   Diabetes

Somali/English: BMI  –  Hypertension  –  Diabetes 

Latino/English: Childhood Obesity  –  Hypertension  –  Diabetes

Partnerships

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SoLaHmo’s Core Partnership Expectations

SoLaHmo’s Core Partnership Expectations

  • Our projects and partners adhere to CBPAR principles.
  •  SoLaHmo community researchers are Co-Investigators and may be Co-Principal Investigators where appropriate.
  •  SoLaHmo community researchers are represented at all levels of our research partnerships and at decision-making tables about SoLaHmo.
  • The SoLaHmo Asset Framework will be applied to the development of research tools, data analysis and programs/interventions.
  • SoLaHmo researcher’s cultural perspectives will be applied in the development of all research processes, documents and tools.
  • Time for partnership development will be built into our research timelines.
  •  SoLaHmo encourages our partners to engage in discussions about the role of racism and how to redress it, related to the research topic at hand.

Solahmo-University of MN Partnership Building Tools

  • The University of Minnesota Program in Health Disparities Research, PHDR Resources for Community-based Research, PHDR Resources Co-developed with SoLaHmo Partnership for Health & Wellness. Accessible here.
  • University of Minnesota CTSI Resources for Community-Engaged Research. Accessible here.

Trainings For Community Research and Research Partnership

  • Community Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR)
  • Focus Groups
  • Key Informant Interviews
  • Participatory Data Analysis
  • Ethical Human Subjects Research Workshop – from a Community Perspective
  • Collaborative Agreements for Community-Academic Research Partnerships (MOUs)
  • Research Partnership Protocol: A Gold Standard

Funders

Federal

  • Centers for Disease Control/National Cancer Institute (CDC/NCI)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Pipeline2Proposal Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III

Local

  • The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
  • FR Bigelow Foundation
  • Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
  • University of Minnesota, Program in Health Disparities Research
  • University of Minnesota, Clinical and Translational Science Institute
  • St. Paul Foundation
  • UCare Fund

Our Community Partners

  • CAB member affiliations (multiple)
  • Community Campus Partnerships for Health
  • Dial Group
  • ECHO-MN/ TPT
  • Frogtown Radio
  • Hmong American Partnership
  • Kajoog
  • Minnesota Safety Net Coalition
  • MN Association of Community Health Centers
  • MN Department of Health
  • MN Network of Hospice and Palliative Care
  • MN East Side YMCANeighborhood House
  • Quality Measurement Enhancement Project (QMEP)
  • Social Medicine Consortium
  • St Paul-Ramsey County Public Health
  • St. Paul Public Schools
  • Urban Roots

Our Academic Partners

  • University of Minnesota – Center for Bioethics
  • University of Minnesota – Clinical & Translational Science Institute
  • University of Minnesota – Department of Education and Curriculum Development Gustavus Adolphus College
  • University of Minnesota – Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology
  • University of Minnesota – Medical School, Program in Health Disparities Research
  • University of Minnesota – School of Public Health
  • University of Minnesota – School of Social Work