Abstract
Comprising 18% of the total population in the United States, Latinos are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the country and an important demographic group for our public health efforts. In the current socioeconomic and political climate, the development of resources and health education materials tailored to specific cultural groups is urgently needed. To be effective, these materials must acknowledge the role of history, social and physical environment, cultural and economic conditions, migration history, and politics as key determinants of health and well-being. This article describes the development of Nuestros Cuerpos, Nuestras Vidas, the Spanish-language translation and cultural adaptation of the classic women’s health book Our Bodies, Ourselves, and the companion Spanish-language training guide for community health workers (Guía de Capacitación para Promotoras de Salud). Further, it examines the relevance of these health education materials to our current sociopolitical and historical moment. The Spanish-language and cultural adaptation process of Our Bodies, Ourselves is predicated on the social determinants and the cultural models of health. Both represent strong approaches that promote health and well-being in the midst of the current dramatic social change that adversely and disproportionately impacts the health of US minority groups.