The
Center for Health and Wellness in
its effort to promote
the importance of health education sought 150 African Americans,
ages 20 & up to participate
in this project.
Each participant
upon completion of
the program will
receive a stipend
of $150 for completing
the project.
This project focuses
on Hypertension, Diabetes and Obesity. The CHW
seeks to educate
the participants,
so they can adopt
a healthy lifestyle
that will last long
after the project ends.
A recent report
by the Institute of Medicine (2002) indicates that diabetes, heart disease
and other chronic diseases are significantly higher in minorities than
in Caucasians. According to this report, African Americans
are three times more likely to suffer from hypertension and diabetes than
Caucasians.
Diabetes and Hypertension
(or high blood pressure) are preventable diseases, therefore, the reduction
of these health disparities are paramount. Access to care, ability
to pay, and insurance coverage all reflect these disparities in health
care.
 |
Today,
Diabetes, Hypertension, and Obesity are some of the most serious health
challenges facing the
United States.
The following
statistics illustrate the magnitude of this disease among African Americans.
*2.8 million (approximately
13 percent) African Americans have diabetes.
*On average, African
Americans are twice as likely to have diabetes as Caucasians of similar
age.
*African-Americans
with diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes complications and experience
greater disability from the complications than Caucasians with diabetes.
*Death rates for
people with diabetes are 27% higher for African-Americans compared
with Caucasians .
*The rate of obesity
is higher in African Americans. African-American women have
the highest rate of obesity compared to any other ethnic group. 80%
of African American women are overweight.
*African Americans
develop high blood pressure earlier, and have more severe cases of the
disease. This is related to the fact that more African Americans have strokes,
heart failure and kidney failure. They have an eight-fold higher rate of
kidney failure due to high blood pressure than Caucasians.
This program will
provide participants with prevention and wellness information to understand
risk factors leading to complications of diabetes,
hypertension and
obesity.
The free health screening
program will include the following components :
Health measurements :
*SP 38 Risk
Assessment
*Attitude
and Behavioral Survey
Health Screenings :
*Blood sugar
*Cholesterol
*Kidney
*Blood Pressure
Counseling:
* Results of screening
*Health risk, if any
Prevention and Wellness Education Classes.
Each Participant
will receive health screening information on their current health status,
which will be helpful to maintain good health and evaluate the need for
changes to reduce risk for preventable diseases.
|
