PROGRAM PRIORITIZATION TO CONTROL CHRONIC DISEASES
INTRODUCTION
African Americans are at higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancer compared to their white counterparts. While some of the disparities can in part be attributed to nonmodifiable factors, such as age or genetic predisposition, some of this risk can be attributed to modifiable lifestyle factors, such as physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity, diets high in fat and poor in some micronutrients, as well as under-utilization of preventive healthcare.
In an attempt to address these disparities, the last decade has seen an increase in health-promotion activities targeted at African Americans, specifically targeted at communities of faith. However, little decrease in the prevalence and mortality of these chronic diseases has been realized. Slow progress has been partly due to a lack of knowledge among African Americans about disease endpoints for which interventions have been designed. Health behavioral modification in communities will only occur and gather momentum if the proposed changes are supported by an initiative to educate the population about inherent disease risks. Furthermore, the community for which the change is desired must be convinced that the methods suggested to reduce risk are efficacious, available, and affordable. cheap antibiotics without prescription
Since organizing in the late 18th century, African-American congregations have functioned as both advocates and mediators for causes essential to the well-being of African-American society. To date, congregations continue to be considered natural partners in recruiting participants for health-related discussions and places from where new information is expected to diffuse. Indeed, several reports have shown increases in the uptake of pap smear and mammography screening as well as an adoption of lower-fat diets and increased physical activity in African-American communities, following congregation-based health-promotion activities. However, because the interventions are generally researcher-initiated, the congregation leadership has not been involved in assessing health needs to aid decision-making regarding their applicability. Hence, these disease-specific interventions have become overwhelming. Most congregations are not structured to evaluate the usefulness of health-promotion programs before adoption.
Between 1997 and 1999, a nondisease-specific education program was developed and aimed at equipping the African-American congregation leadership with skills to systematically identify their health needs as well as plan and implement interventions most beneficial to their members. However, the effect of this educational strategy had never been evaluated. This manuscript describes the influence of providing congregation leaders with health needs-assessment skills on subsequent prioritization and implementation of health programs most beneficial to their congregations. official canadian pharmacy
