Addressing Syndemic Health Disparities Among Latin Immigrants Using Peer Support

The purpose of this project was to develop a multidimensional understanding of synergistic connections between food-related and emotional health in the lives of Latina immigrants using a community-engaged approach with women who participate in a social isolation support group. The domains of interest included the intersection of social isolation, depression, diabetes, and food insecurity. We tested an innovative “structured dialogue” (SD) approach to integrating the domains of interest into the group dynamic. We documented key positive impacts of participation in the group on women’s everyday experiences and emotional wellbeing. We demonstrated the extent to which this approach increases women’s knowledge of food and food resources, and their self-efficacy for dealing with diabetes and food insecurity.