Session 5: Health and Health Care: Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

Presenter Information

Multiple Presenters

Location

Lewis 301

Start Date

17-7-2015 1:00 PM

Description

Moderator: Lauren Camp. University of Mississippi, Center for Population Studies

Recruitment of Barbershops for Blood Pressure Screening and Referral in the Mississippi Delta Region / Briana Perryman, Jackie Hawkins, and Cassandra Dove. Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

Barbers Reaching Out to Help Educate on Routine Screenings (B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S.) was initiated to address high blood pressure awareness and prevention, one of the leading causes of premature death and disability among African-American (AA) men. Past studies have shown that AA men regularly gather at barber shops, which can be an ideal location to conduct health outreach and education. Methods: The Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative devoted a year to recruiting and training barbers through a request-for-proposal and trained barbers as Community Health Advocates through University of Mississippi Medical Center. Barbers were trained on how to measure blood pressure accurately, and received training on the screening protocol, blood pressure readings, education and the referral process. Clients who are screened are provided resources on identifying local health care providers and educational materials for promoting lifestyle changes and are encouraged to schedule routine checkups with a health care provider to monitor their overall health. Results: Since the inception, 26 barbershops in 16 counties have been engaged; 1,232 participants were screened from September 2012 – January 2015. Mean age of participants was 35.6 years; 96.8% African Americans; 82.6 % male; mean systolic 131.7 mm; mean diastolic 84.5 mm; and 36.7 % had hypertension. Conclusion: Barbershops can serves as an avenue for reaching AA males with elevated blood pressure. Trained barbers as community health advocates can play a crucial role in educating their clients on blood pressure awareness and prevention and link them to local healthcare providers.

Creating Policy System and Environmental Changes in the 18-County Mississippi Delta Region: Mayoral Health Council Initiative / Jackie Hawkins, Kenneth Judie, Lakita Calvin, Michelle Byrd-Webster, and Cassandra Dove. Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

To facilitate the promotion and implementation of policy system and environmental change strategies, Delta Health Collaborative/Mississippi State Department of Health has implemented a health initiative through mayoral health council. The purpose is to prevent and control risk factors for heart disease and stroke. At the municipal level, strategies support a culture of wellness that address chronic disease prevention in cities and towns located in the MS Delta. Methods: There is a total of 38 active mayoral health councils in the Mississippi Delta that are implementing policy systems environmental change strategies at the local level. To assist with the implementation of these environmental system change strategies, Delta Health Collaborative awards funding to municipalities to create healthy environments which supports increased access to physical activity, healthy foods, reduced exposure to tobacco smoke for the purpose of reducing the prevalence of heart disease and stroke. Results: Since interception a total of 57 of 82 municipalities have been reached in the MS Delta Region. Mayors Health Councils represents 103 health and wellness policies community-wide. These strategies include smoke-free air ordinances, access to physical activity through shared-use agreements and access to healthier food choices through farmers markets.

The Role of Community Health Workers in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control: Findings from the Clinical Community Health Worker Initiative / Tameka Walls, Amanda Cole, Cassandra Dove, Vincent Mendy, and Augusta Bilbro. Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

The Mississippi State Department of Health implemented the Clinical Community Health Worker Initiative (CCHWI) for cardiovascular risk reduction through the use of community health workers (CHW) as integral members of health systems. Although the CHW model has been used in public health over decades, there is limited data on the use and impact of CHWs in rural clinical settings. We report on the influence of our CCHWI in the Mississippi Delta region. Patients from eight participating healthcare systems, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Centers, and private providers, were selected based on diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia. The CHWs visited consenting patients within 7 days of referral, quarterly and as needed. CHWs conducted Chronic Disease Self-Management workshops, taught proper techniques for measuring blood pressure and hemoglobin A1C, encouraged compliance, collected body mass index and waist circumference measurements. Information was documented and shared with clinical providers. Abnormal or elevated measures were immediately reported. We observed statistically significant improvements (baseline vs most recent value) for diastolic blood pressure (p=0.0045), total cholesterol (p=0.0014), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.0117), and triglycerides (p=0.0255) between 2012 and 2014. CHWs may be useful in underserved areas to improve cardiovascular clinical outcomes. Patient participation and retention in the program was higher when clinic providers played an active role in program recruitment. Clinical community health workers can foster a relationship between health care systems and patients, facilitate access to services and may help influence positive health outcomes in rural areas.

Recruitment of Churches to Participate in the ABCS Community Health Screening in the Mississippi Delta Region: Delta Alliance for Congregational Health / Jackie Hawkins, Alice Griggs-Miller, and Cassandra Dove. Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of Preventive Health

Delta Alliance for Congregational Health (DACH) is based on a social-ecological model for faith-based institutions to consider the health of individual congregants, the congregation as a whole, and the broader community. Participants will gain an understanding of the DACH model, including best practices and lessons learned, how the DACH model can be implemented in their church/community, and understand the role of the church, community, and the healthcare setting in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prevention. Methods: A Request-for-Proposal is publically released throughout the 18-county Mississippi Delta region where faith-based institutions apply for a mini-grant to implement a Congregational Health Ministry. Benchmarked activities are outlined based on quarterly reporting periods. Applications are reviewed and selected based on submitted information. Selected faith-based institutions receive technical assistance through trained Congregational Health Nurses or Congregational Health Advocates in the beginning and until the end of the grant year ensuring that benchmarks such as ABCS (Aspirin therapy, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation) screenings, conducting Chronic Disease and Diabetes Self-Management Classes and Quarterly Health Team Meetings are met. Results: Since the inception of the project, 50 faith-based institutions have adopted the DACH model, 85 trained Congregational Health Nurses and Advocates and over 4,000 participants have been reached through the ABCS community health screening events in 18 counties. Conclusion: The DACH model can be used to reach at-risk populations and awareness of ABCS of heart disease and stroke prevention in rural settings.

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Jul 17th, 1:00 PM

Session 5: Health and Health Care: Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

Lewis 301

Moderator: Lauren Camp. University of Mississippi, Center for Population Studies

Recruitment of Barbershops for Blood Pressure Screening and Referral in the Mississippi Delta Region / Briana Perryman, Jackie Hawkins, and Cassandra Dove. Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

Barbers Reaching Out to Help Educate on Routine Screenings (B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S.) was initiated to address high blood pressure awareness and prevention, one of the leading causes of premature death and disability among African-American (AA) men. Past studies have shown that AA men regularly gather at barber shops, which can be an ideal location to conduct health outreach and education. Methods: The Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative devoted a year to recruiting and training barbers through a request-for-proposal and trained barbers as Community Health Advocates through University of Mississippi Medical Center. Barbers were trained on how to measure blood pressure accurately, and received training on the screening protocol, blood pressure readings, education and the referral process. Clients who are screened are provided resources on identifying local health care providers and educational materials for promoting lifestyle changes and are encouraged to schedule routine checkups with a health care provider to monitor their overall health. Results: Since the inception, 26 barbershops in 16 counties have been engaged; 1,232 participants were screened from September 2012 – January 2015. Mean age of participants was 35.6 years; 96.8% African Americans; 82.6 % male; mean systolic 131.7 mm; mean diastolic 84.5 mm; and 36.7 % had hypertension. Conclusion: Barbershops can serves as an avenue for reaching AA males with elevated blood pressure. Trained barbers as community health advocates can play a crucial role in educating their clients on blood pressure awareness and prevention and link them to local healthcare providers.

Creating Policy System and Environmental Changes in the 18-County Mississippi Delta Region: Mayoral Health Council Initiative / Jackie Hawkins, Kenneth Judie, Lakita Calvin, Michelle Byrd-Webster, and Cassandra Dove. Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

To facilitate the promotion and implementation of policy system and environmental change strategies, Delta Health Collaborative/Mississippi State Department of Health has implemented a health initiative through mayoral health council. The purpose is to prevent and control risk factors for heart disease and stroke. At the municipal level, strategies support a culture of wellness that address chronic disease prevention in cities and towns located in the MS Delta. Methods: There is a total of 38 active mayoral health councils in the Mississippi Delta that are implementing policy systems environmental change strategies at the local level. To assist with the implementation of these environmental system change strategies, Delta Health Collaborative awards funding to municipalities to create healthy environments which supports increased access to physical activity, healthy foods, reduced exposure to tobacco smoke for the purpose of reducing the prevalence of heart disease and stroke. Results: Since interception a total of 57 of 82 municipalities have been reached in the MS Delta Region. Mayors Health Councils represents 103 health and wellness policies community-wide. These strategies include smoke-free air ordinances, access to physical activity through shared-use agreements and access to healthier food choices through farmers markets.

The Role of Community Health Workers in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control: Findings from the Clinical Community Health Worker Initiative / Tameka Walls, Amanda Cole, Cassandra Dove, Vincent Mendy, and Augusta Bilbro. Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

The Mississippi State Department of Health implemented the Clinical Community Health Worker Initiative (CCHWI) for cardiovascular risk reduction through the use of community health workers (CHW) as integral members of health systems. Although the CHW model has been used in public health over decades, there is limited data on the use and impact of CHWs in rural clinical settings. We report on the influence of our CCHWI in the Mississippi Delta region. Patients from eight participating healthcare systems, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Centers, and private providers, were selected based on diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia. The CHWs visited consenting patients within 7 days of referral, quarterly and as needed. CHWs conducted Chronic Disease Self-Management workshops, taught proper techniques for measuring blood pressure and hemoglobin A1C, encouraged compliance, collected body mass index and waist circumference measurements. Information was documented and shared with clinical providers. Abnormal or elevated measures were immediately reported. We observed statistically significant improvements (baseline vs most recent value) for diastolic blood pressure (p=0.0045), total cholesterol (p=0.0014), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.0117), and triglycerides (p=0.0255) between 2012 and 2014. CHWs may be useful in underserved areas to improve cardiovascular clinical outcomes. Patient participation and retention in the program was higher when clinic providers played an active role in program recruitment. Clinical community health workers can foster a relationship between health care systems and patients, facilitate access to services and may help influence positive health outcomes in rural areas.

Recruitment of Churches to Participate in the ABCS Community Health Screening in the Mississippi Delta Region: Delta Alliance for Congregational Health / Jackie Hawkins, Alice Griggs-Miller, and Cassandra Dove. Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of Preventive Health

Delta Alliance for Congregational Health (DACH) is based on a social-ecological model for faith-based institutions to consider the health of individual congregants, the congregation as a whole, and the broader community. Participants will gain an understanding of the DACH model, including best practices and lessons learned, how the DACH model can be implemented in their church/community, and understand the role of the church, community, and the healthcare setting in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prevention. Methods: A Request-for-Proposal is publically released throughout the 18-county Mississippi Delta region where faith-based institutions apply for a mini-grant to implement a Congregational Health Ministry. Benchmarked activities are outlined based on quarterly reporting periods. Applications are reviewed and selected based on submitted information. Selected faith-based institutions receive technical assistance through trained Congregational Health Nurses or Congregational Health Advocates in the beginning and until the end of the grant year ensuring that benchmarks such as ABCS (Aspirin therapy, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation) screenings, conducting Chronic Disease and Diabetes Self-Management Classes and Quarterly Health Team Meetings are met. Results: Since the inception of the project, 50 faith-based institutions have adopted the DACH model, 85 trained Congregational Health Nurses and Advocates and over 4,000 participants have been reached through the ABCS community health screening events in 18 counties. Conclusion: The DACH model can be used to reach at-risk populations and awareness of ABCS of heart disease and stroke prevention in rural settings.