Although immigrants and refugees often arrive in the United States with better health than the general population, these advantages diminish over time, in part due to the adoption of unhealthy dietary behaviors. Population-based interventions have had limited success in preserving these early health advantages, highlighting the need for innovative approaches that are tailored to—and led by—immigrant communities themselves. In 2011, RHCP received funding for the Healthy Immigrant Families (HIF) project, in which community and academic partners co-developed a 12-lesson, home-based intervention focused on healthy eating and physical activity, delivered by bilingual interventionists. At 12 months, adults in the intervention group showed significant improvements in dietary quality compared with controls, although improvements were also observed in the control group.

These findings led to the development of the Healthy Immigrant Community (HIC) project, which builds on the HIF model by leveraging social networks to enhance reach, sustainability, and behavior change. The goal of HIC is to adapt the HIF intervention into a social network–based approach to improve dietary behaviors among overweight and obese immigrant adults in Rochester, Minnesota. In February 2020, RHCP launched a pilot study in which Hispanic and Somali adults were trained as Health Promoters through 12 face-to-face lessons taught by Mayo Clinic experts, after which the Health Promoters delivered the same content to social networks of five to ten individuals. Building on this pilot, RHCP enrolled 51 social networks with 475 participants in a randomized clinical trial in June 2022. Health Promoters received real-time training from Health Coaches and led face-to-face or virtual group sessions over 12 months, each focused on key aspects of healthy eating and physical activity. Social networks were randomly assigned to receive the intervention immediately or after a delay of 1 year. Measurements at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months were derived from 6 of the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Simple 7”: body mass index, blood pressure, fasting glucose, cholesterol, physical activity and dietary quality. Compared with the delayed intervention group, participants in the early intervention groups showed a modest improvement of cardiovascular risk and clinically significant weight loss, suggesting that social network interventions hold promise in reducing the rise of obesity and cardiovascular risk accumulation after immigration.

Using a Photovoice approach grounded in community-based participatory research and Public Health Critical Race Praxis, RHCP partnered with 14 Hispanic/Latino and Somali immigrant health promoters in Southeast Minnesota to document community assets, barriers, and health priorities. Through photographs and guided group reflection, participants shared lived experiences related to making healthy choices, maintaining cultural identity and inclusion, and accessing opportunity.

Self-efficacy, or confidence in performing health behaviors, was examined among 450 Hispanic/Latinx and Somali adults enrolled in the Healthy Immigrant Community project in southeastern Minnesota. Participants completed baseline assessments of confidence for healthy eating and physical activity, along with dietary intake, physical activity, and biometric measures.

During the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, FAITH!—a community-academic partnership with African American churches—surveyed 169 African American adults in Minnesota to understand how pandemic-related stressors affected their ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Over half of respondents reported difficulty staying healthy, which was strongly linked to mental health challenges like stress, depression, anxiety, and anger.

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major global health challenge, especially in low-income countries. It spreads through airborne droplets and can affect any organ, though the lungs are most commonly involved. People with weakened immune systems—such as those with HIV, diabetes, or malnutrition—are at higher risk of developing active TB.

RHCP conducted a survey with Somali immigrants in Southeast Minnesota to explore how age and time spent in the U.S. relate to experiences of discrimination. Using the Everyday Discrimination Scale, they found that younger adults (ages 18–40) reported more frequent and chronic discrimination than older adults. Men and those with higher education or mid-range incomes also reported more discrimination.

RHCP worked with Hispanic/Latino and Somali immigrant leaders to implement a social network–based health program called Healthy Immigrant Community (HIC). Health promoters (HPs) led sessions focused on improving diet and physical activity to reduce heart disease risk. Over time, HPs shifted their focus from weight loss to broader goals like overall health and community well-being.

RHCP surveyed over 1,200 Hispanic and Somali immigrant adults in Southeast Minnesota to better understand how people perceive their own body size and weight, and how those perceptions relate to their intentions to lose weight. While many participants had a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range, fewer identified themselves as such.

RHCP developed a digital storytelling project called Stories for Change: La detección temprana puede salvar vidas to encourage cancer screening among Hispanic/Latino adults who were overdue for breast, cervical, or colorectal screenings. Eight storytellers shared personal experiences in short Spanish-language videos, which were shown to 51 participants across three clinical sites.

RHCP collaborated with Hispanic/Latino and Somali immigrant leaders in Southeast Minnesota to create a photovoice exhibit that highlighted community health priorities. Participants took photos representing their concerns, discussed themes, and developed policy recommendations. These were shared at a public event and a rotating exhibit in 2024, reaching over 100 attendees including decision-makers, community members, and researchers.

A digital storytelling video created by RHCP was tested to help Hispanic adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes improve their health. The video featured four personal stories in Spanish that focused on key diabetes self-care behaviors: healthy eating, physical activity, medication use, and blood sugar monitoring. Participants who watched the video reported feeling more confident and motivated to manage their diabetes.

Among Hispanic/Latino and Somali immigrants in southeast Minnesota, those who reported feeling down or in a negative mood were more likely to face challenges with healthy eating, physical activity, and feeling connected to their communities. These individuals tended to eat fewer fruits and vegetables, drink more sugary beverages, and had lower confidence in their ability to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly.

The Healthy Immigrant Community (HIC) project is a community-driven health initiative developed by RHCP to reduce cardiovascular risks among Hispanic and Somali adults in Minnesota. The program uses a social network approach, where trained health promoters from each community lead group sessions focused on improving diet, physical activity, and overall wellness.

To help improve cancer screening rates among Hispanic/Latino communities in Minnesota, RHCP partnered with StoryCenter to create a digital storytelling workshop called Stories for Change. Eight participants—cancer survivors, co-survivors, and recently screened individuals—shared personal stories about breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer.