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The role of advocacy in occasioning community and organizational change in a medical-legal partnership

K.D. Anderson-Carpenter, V. Collie-Akers, J.D. Colvin, K. Cronin
J Prev Interv Community

Health disparities among low-income individuals remain a significant problem. A number of social determinants are associated with adverse health outcomes. Medical-legal partnerships address legal concerns of low-income individuals to improve health and wellness in adults and children. The Medical-Legal Partnership at Legal Aid of Western Missouri provides free direct legal services for patients with legal concerns affecting health. There is limited evidence regarding the association between advocacy-related efforts and changes within both the medical-legal partnership structure and in health-care facilities. Three health-care organizations in Kansas City, MO participated in implementing the medical-legal partnership model between 2007 and 2010. Advocacy efforts conducted by key medical-legal partnership personnel were strongly associated with changes in health-care organizations and within the medical-legal partnership structure. This study extends the current evidence base by examining the types of advocacy efforts required to bring about community and organizational changes.

 

Anderson-Carpenter KD, Collie-Akers V, Colvin JD, Cronin K. The role of advocacy in occasioning community and organizational change in a medical-legal partnership. J Prev Interv Community. 2013;41(3):167-175. PMID: 23751060. DOI: 10.1080/10852352.2013.788343.

 

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Peer Reviewed Research
Outcomes
Process
Social Determinant of Health
Economic Security
Education/Literacy
Employment
Food/Hunger
Health Care Access
Housing Quality
Housing Stability
Immigration
Legal Services
Public Benefits
Utilities
Violence/Safety
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