 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Jean J. E. Bonhomme, MD, MPH and Ronald L. Braithwaite, PhD. Behavioral Sciences and Health Education Department, Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, (404) 712-9518, jbonhom@sph.emory.edu
African-American males are well known to underutilize the healthcare system relative to other demographic groups. They are especially unlikely to have health insurance, to have seen a physician, or to have had a physical exam in the past year. Distrust of the healthcare system, deeply ingrained culturally-based stoic attitudes towards pain, and fatalistic expectations contribute to making African-American men an especially difficult group to engage in preventive healthcare.
In Atlanta Georgia, Men’s Health Day (1999) and the Health Initiative for Men Summit (2002) were well-attended public health events that evidenced substantial African-American male participation. Screenings included blood pressure, PSA testing, nutrition, cardiovascular health, blood sugar, exercise, dental health and healthy lifestyles instruction.
Factors contributing to the remarkably high turnouts of African-American men included involving the entire family to bring men in and help them understand health regimens (such as taking medications properly); taking time to explain and promote understanding of disease processes and management; emphasizing the individual as a whole person, “not just a prostate”; addressing performance concerns (including sexual performance); providing flavorful samples of healthy foods as both reward and example that eating healthfully can be very enjoyable; and publicizing health screenings through multiple and diverse media venues (radio, television, newspapers, posters, flyers and African-American churches).
Traditional approaches have failed to engage and/or retain African-American males in the healthcare system. Studies that measure the effectiveness of alternative approaches are warranted. Appropriate measures of association could then delineate the relationship between these alternative methodologies and healthcare utilization rates/health outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: African American, Health Care Utilization
Related Web page: N/A
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.