The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66528

Loretta Jones, MA, Healthy African American Families, 3856 Martin Luther King Blvd Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90008, 323-292-2002, LJonesHAAF@aol.com

Eliminating health disparities is a Healthy People 2010 goal. To achieve this, innovative health promotion programs are needed among disempowered racial/ethnic minority communities. For over a decade, the Healthy African American Families (HAAF) project in Los Angeles has partnered with federal agencies, universities, and local, state, and national organizations to develop a community-driven, culturally-competent public health prevention approach, using a community assets model, to African American health. This presentation will discuss the theoretical and practical orientation HAAF successfully uses in partnerships, community prevention research, and community interventions. A key HAAF tenet is the community knows its needs and may become healthier by utilizing its own resources and networks with assistance from other experts. Intra-community capacity building, social capital, and leveraging community resources are critical. HAAF uses non-health partners, such as Job Corps trainees and local business, in its community activities. Another HAAF tenet is the entire community’s health needs to be addressed. Many health problems are inter-related and cannot be solved in isolation. Specific problems, such as reproductive health, asthma, HIV, and physical activity, provide opportunities for cross-learning. An individual’s health exists within circles of influence (diverse family, social, provider, and community contexts) which must be creatively addressed in health promotion. A key indicator of HAAF’s success is its ability to sustain community engagement and presence and to be a proactive community resource. HAAF, as a bridge between research and prevention, provides a model useful for the nation, especially in times of fiscal cutbacks.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant (learner) will be able to:
• Discuss processes for engaging urban African American communities in long-term health promotion activities
• Describe various types of non-health partners that may be utilized in health promotion activities and the roles that they can play.

Keywords: Community Involvement, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.