Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112137

Michele Yehieli, DrPH¹, Gene M. Lutz, PhD², Mel Gonnerman, PhD¹, and Mark Grey, PhD¹. (1) Iowa Project EXPORT Center of Excellence on Health Disparities, University of Northern Iowa, 220 WRC, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0241, 319 273-7965, michele.yehieli@uni.edu, (2) Center for Social & Behavioral Research, University of Northern Iowa, 221 Sabin Hall, Cedar Falls, IA 50614

The reduction of health disparities is one of the most pressing issues facing public health planners and administrators today in the United States. Meeting this urgent challenge is necessary even at the county level in rural states. To this end, the Black Hawk County Health Department in northeast Iowa, along with the Iowa Project EXPORT Center of Excellence in Health Disparities at the University of Northern Iowa, partnered to conduct a specialized, large-scale needs assessment and develop a community health intervention plan to improve the wellbeing of a low-income, African Americans in the local area. An in-depth study assessed health status indicators, attitudes, behaviors, and medical care utilization among the respondents. A nonrandom sample of Black Hawk County residents was achieved through face-to-face interviews conducted in residences and community settings in areas of Waterloo, Iowa, with a high concentration of African American adults. The final sample (n = 136) was African American and aged 18 or older. The results found significant health disparities among the minority population in comparison to the general community in almost every category, including lifestyle practices, emotional health, health care access, injuries, locus of control beliefs, and physical illness rates. The results of the study were then used by health department planners and the local minority health coalition to highlight the critical needs of these underserved African Americans, and to develop culturally appropriate outreach and education programs for this special population.

Learning Objectives:

• To learn how to address the special health needs of minorities through evidence-based community health planning;
• to recognize the importance of conducting specialized needs assessments for minority populations when community health planning; and
• to learn how to partner with academia to improve the health status of minority populations when planning community health programs.

Keywords: Community Health Planning, Minority Health

Related Web page: www.iowahealthdisparities.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.