Barber's Cut Heart Disease

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.