The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44466

Rickie Brawer, MPH, Jefferson Health System, 130 South Bryn Mawr Ave., Clothier Building, Byrn Mawr, PA 19010, Sandra Karger, MS, Community Health, Main Line Health, 130 S. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, and Kara Hawthorne, MPH, Health Studies, Temple University, 304 Vivacqua Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19122, 610-526-8329, brawerr@mlhs.org.

Reaching the urban population with relevant, culturally appropriate health education materials and resources has always been a difficult task for health care providers. In an effort to meet the needs of urban African American women in the service area of Main Line Health in Southeast Pennsylvania, a pilot program was developed to test the feasibility of using beauty salons as a means of disseminating health education materials and resources to urban African American women in three communities. Beauty salons serving a large female African American population were targeted in the areas of West Philadelphia, Upper Darby, and Norristown, Pennsylvania. The salon owners and beauticians completed a survey regarding: the demographics of the clients; the health issues most often discussed by their clients; and the clients’ preferences for obtaining health information. In addition, the salon owners and beauticians were asked the type of training they preferred to receive. Training programs were then designed and conducted at the salons to assist the owners and beauticians to talk to their clients about health issues and to assist them in referring clients to appropriate health information and other health resources. To evaluate the Beauty Salon Initiative, surveys were completed regarding the process of the project, the effectiveness of the trainings, and client satisfaction.

Learning Objectives:

2. Identify barriers in developing a project working with beauty salons in communities that are comprised of underserved women.
4. List the main health issues identified by beauty salon owners and beauticians whose clients are underserved women in urban communities.
6. Identify strategies that can be utilized by beauty salons and other non-traditional settings to assist underserved women in obtaining accurate health information.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.