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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Saleh M. M. Rahman, MBBS, PhD, MPH¹, Richard D. Gragg, PhD², Brian K. Gibbs, PhD³, Cynthia M. Harris, PhD, DABT¹, Cynthia H. Harris, PhD⁴, Howard Hu, MD ScD⁵, and Deborah Prothrow-Stith, MD⁶. (1) Institute of Public Health, Florida A & M University, FSH Science Research Center, Suite 209-A, Tallahassee, FL 32307, 850-599-8840, saleh.rahman@famu.edu, (2) Environmental Sciences Institute, Florida A&M University, 1515 South M.L. King Blvd., RM 305, Tallahassee, FL 32307, (3) Division of Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, 841 Parker Street, Boston, MA 02120, (4) Dean, School of Allied Health Sciences, Florida A & M University, 1500 South Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32307, (5) Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Channing Laboratory, 181 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, (6) Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard University, 841 Parker Street, Boston, MA 02120

Several studies have indicated that the causal factors of health disparities are also linked to social and environmental injustices that affect the disadvantaged population. Exposure to lead, stress caused by racism, low community economic status, and environmental externalities are known to be causally related to cardiovascular, respiratory, diabetes, cancer and other diseases. The lack of comprehensive theory based models for community change or social transformation for healthier life stimulates the scientific community to examine different conceptual models. The Florida A&M University and Harvard School of Public Health Center for Healthy Options and Innovative Community Empowerment (CHOICE) a National Institutes of Health – National Center for Minority Health Disparities Project EXPORT initiative is exploring these causal factors of health disparities and examining components of a model for their elimination among urban and rural minority populations. Based on the successes and failures of Project CHOICE in Gadsden County Florida and Roxbury Massachusetts a conceptual model has been developed. In this model, findings from community readiness assessment, the implementation of collaborative research, community capacity building, community coalitions, community empowerment and, the intersection of social marketing in community based participatory research will be provided. This evolving model has captured the situation specific needs of the communities and components of social capital such a trust, reciprocity and fulfillment of mutual benefits for sustainable community based programs for reducing health disparities.

Learning Objectives: The participants (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify the failures and successes of community based research on the environmental determinants of hypertension, and health disparities in minories
• Be able to understand the conceptual model developed based on the successes and failures in this project.
• Be able to articulate community based theories and practice in an ideal form or model

Keywords: Community Research, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No