Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

Abstract #157860

LaCroy Hatcher, Barber's Cut Heart Disease Program, Greater Cleveland Health Education & Service Council, 540 East 105th Street, Suite 330, Cleveland, OH 44108, 216-851-2171, lacroyhatcher@gchesc.org

The Barber's Cut Heart Disease program was established by the Greater Cleveland Health Education and Service Council in 2000. This program targets African American males in their local barbershops. The local barbershops were chosen because African American males can be found in large numbers. The overall goal of the Barber's Cut Heart Disease program is to create a network of barbershops to improve cardiovascular risk reduction among African American males.

The goal is reached by educating barbers on the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. Some of these risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and smoking. Barbers are given the responsibility to educate their customers about these risk factors and how they can be reduced. The barbers are encouraged to make two or more environmental changes within their shops. The changes include posting a message board on cardiovascular disease and making brochure and pamphlets available to the customers in the shop. Barbers receive business related incentives for participating in the program.

One of the most important activities associated with the Barber's Cut Heart Disease program is blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose screenings. The purpose of bringing the screenings to the barbershops is to give barbers and their clients without health insurance the opportunity to get their blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose checked. The individuals with elevated levels receive counseling plus referrals to a health care provider. Thirty three percent were found to have elevated levels.

Learning Objectives:

• African American males can reached in large numbers through local barbershops. Barbershops of our Barber's Cut Heart Disease Program are provided with a cardiovascular message board with accompanying brochures. By providing barbers with cardiovascular information that they can share with their customers. This information encourages men to talk about living a heart healthy life. Barbershops in our program have actively made two or more environmental changes in their barbershops.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.