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Alabama Program Teaches Cosmetologists and College Students to Conduct Community-Based Health Outreach
Providing community-based health education and screening services for African Americans
Faculty in the Department of Nursing at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala., trained cosmetologists and others to deliver community-based health education and screening services.
The goal of the project was to eliminate disparities in health outcomes related to breast and prostate cancer among primarily African-American populations in rural and inner-city Alabama.
For a 16-month period starting January 2002, project staff trained cosmetologists to deliver health messages in the Huntsville area about breast cancer. They, in turn, reached nearly 400 women with the information.
Key Results
- Project staff trained 45 practicing and student cosmetologists to deliver health messages to clients about breast cancer risks and early detection.
- The staff hosted two "Purple Teas" in local churches in the Huntsville area at which they presented information on breast cancer risk factors, prevention, early detection and self-examination.
- Teams pairing Oakwood College nursing and religion students gave 38 presentations with short health messages at area church meetings.
Funding
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supported this project with a grant of $50,000 from January 2002 to April 2003.