“Treated me … like I was family”: Qualitative Evaluation of a Culturally-Adapted Health Care Manager Intervention for Latinos with Serious Mental Illness and at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Latinos with serious mental illness (SMI) experience health and health care disparities and may benefit from interventions that improve access to, coordination of, and receipt of primary care services. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of Latinos with SMI and at risk for cardiovascular disease participating in Bridges to Better Health and Wellness (B2BHW), a culturally-adapted health care manager intervention delivered in a public outpatient mental health clinic. A total of 29 Latino participants completed a post-intervention survey that included an open-ended question about the three things they liked most about B2BHW; a subset of 16 participants participated in one of three post-intervention focus groups. Results indicate that what mattered most to participants was the health education they received, the positive relationships they formed with their health care managers, the care coordination assistance they obtained, and the motivation and activation they gained from this intervention. Study findings suggest that key elements of the health care manager intervention (e.g., care coordination, and patient activation) shaped participants' experiences with B2BHW and were perceived as beneficial.