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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Thomas Mason, MD, Bonnie Thomas, MD, Marcus Murray, Craig Spivey, MSW, and Matthew Greene, BS. Project Brotherhood, Woodlawn Health Center, 6337 S. Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, 773-753-5508, tmason2324@yahoo.com

Introduction: The life expectancy of Black men in the United States is shorter and quality of life is poorer than nearly all other comparable groups. Poverty, unemployment, poor educational opportunities, racism, and dangerous environments contribute to stress, despair, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as family instability for black men. In 1998, the Woodlawn Health Center in Chicago, Illinois, developed a weekly multi-disciplinary medical and social services center called the Project Brotherhood (PB) to address the barriers to healthcare for African-American males.

Methods: Our needs assessment included a review of local epidemiologic data; eleven focus groups conducted with more than 100 black men and consultations with scholars. The initial objective was to provide a holistic approach to health and wellness that addresses physical as well as mental, social, vocational and spiritual needs of black men. Innovative strategies included free haircuts, food, transportation assistance, and evening walk-in hours in order to recruit and retain black men into primary care. Several years of program implementation informed a conceptual framework which was refined into a formal PB logic model. This logic model rejects the traditional medical model paradigm and replaces that with a social justice framework.

Results: During the first year of the program, 1998, an average of fourteen participants received medical and or social services weekly. The level of participation has now increased by over 300%. In 2005 the clinic averaged more than 50 visits by black men for medical and or social services per week. PB serviced over 2,500 men in 2005 with a continued upward trend in the number of patient visits expected for 2006.

Conclusion: Based on patient visit data and participation in Project Brotherhood programs, this gender and culturally sensitive healthcare model effectively addresses the wide range of health and social issues confronting black men in America.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Learn structural development and implementation strategies for a community-based clinic designed to serve disparate populations;
• Learn methods and challenges of evaluation for community based programmatic interventions;
• Learn the how the use of innovative community demonstration programs can be used to combat social inequalities.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Male Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation