President's Page
The African American Health Initiative
Making a Difference in Our Community
Black
History month is an opportune time to provide an update on our African American
Health Initiative (AAHI). SBCMS Board member Dr. Lisa Perry-Gilkes is Director
of this Initiative.
AAHI is a comprehensive community health campaign aimed at reducing and eliminating health risks and improving overall health quality among the African American population in San Bernardino County. It is a partnership of the San Bernardino County Medical Society (SBCMS), the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Inland Wellness Information Network (IWIN), and over 30 community based organizations and individuals in San Bernardino County. The partnership was conceived in July 1999 when Dr. Tom Prendergast, our Public Health Officer and member of the SBCMS Board, requested the assistance of the Medical Society and its 501(c)(3) organization, IWIN, to address the health risks of African Americans in San Bernardino County.
The AAHI Executive Committee and its 30-member Advisory Council have worked diligently and made considerable progress since July 1999. They adopted a mission and purpose, a statement of need, strategic goals and objectives, an organizational structure, and responsibilities for each of the eleven AAHI committees. The committees include Development of Funds, Research and Database, Public Relations and Publicity, Health Education and Material Development, Assessment and Evaluation, Perinatal Health, Hypertension, HIV/AIDS, Gender Specific Cancer, Organ Donation, and Sickle Cell. Two California State University, San Bernardino graduate students are collecting materials for a resource directory of local providers. In July 2000 AAHI hired a grant writer. In November the California Endowment awarded a $25,000 grant. AAHI has had newspaper, radio, and TV publicity. They have participated in a number of health fairs and just last month they held a community 1.5 mile walk "Walk the Dream" in San Bernardino. The walk is one of their short-term goals to help lower the incidence of hypertension and the resultant strokes and heart disease that are binary products of continued high blood pressure. "Walk the Dream" is the genesis for a year-long walking experience working with area churches.
Included in this article is AAHI’s organizational structure, statement of need, and their goals and objectives. When the research and inventorying functions are complete, the working committees will utilize the information gained to identify specific intervention and communication strategies that will move AAHI forward towards achieving their mission.
Statement of Need:
The African American population is facing an unprecedented health crisis. They are medically underserved, in poor health, and their health status is, by all indicators, declining. Poverty and lack of health education are the cornerstones of the health needs of the African American community.
At Birth:
· Infant mortality is more than twice as high among African Americans than Whites, and more than 1.5 times higher than Native Americans.
· More than twice as many African American babies are born underweight than White babies.
· A White boy has a life expectancy of 74 years; 66 years for an African-American boy.
· A White girl has a life expectancy of 80 years; just over 74 for an African American girl.
As Children:
· African American infants were more than twice as likely to die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) as White infants; four times as likely than Hispanics.
· African American children lack health insurance at a rate of 19%, compared with 11% Whites
· Of uninsured African American Children ages 0-5, 10% have not visited a physician during a 12 month period, while 20% of uninsured children ages 6-17 have not seen a physician in the last two years
As Adults:
· One in four (25%) of African Americans rate their health as fair or poor, compared to 18% among Whites.
· AIDS is the number one killer of African Americans in the prime of their lives (between 25-44 years).
· One in four African American men and one in 160 women are AIDS infected.
· 23% of African Americans are uninsured, 1 and ˝ times the uninsured rate for Whites.
· African American women are less likely to get breast cancer, but more likely to die from it.
· African American men are 38% more likely to get prostate cancer than their White counterparts, and twice as likely to die from it.
· Hypertension statistics among African Americans reveal incidence levels almost double that of Whites and Hispanics.
· Historically, proper medical care was not available to African Americans; today, many are not aware of medical options and resources
Strategic Goals & Objectives:
Data generated on the health of African Americans in San Bernardino suggests clearly that business as usual is not enough, and that some degree of coordination is necessary to ensure greater effectiveness of the collective effort of organizations serving the health needs of African Americans in this county.
AAHI is founded on the participants’ belief that it takes a community to bring about the desired improvements in the health of African Americans in San Bernardino County. The health care professionals along side with educators, mass-media professionals, business people, public service personnel, the faith community, together with neighborhood leaders and individuals shall identify, evaluate, and implement health education, intervention, and follow up strategies that will result in the desired changes in the health risks of the African American community in San Bernardino County.
Towards achieving its overall mission, within five (5) years AAHI will have fulfilled the following mandates for change in the health risks of the African American community in San Bernardino County:
Reduce by 15% the incidence of SIDS Increase the incidence of diagnosed and controlled hypertension to minimize stroke, renal failure, and/or congestive heart failure among the African American population. Reduce the rate of death due to prostate cancer by increasing the number of African American men screened and referred for treatment. Increase by 5% the number of African Americans who have health insurance and have a primary care doctor. Improve access for communities of color and for those who know their HIV status but are not in health care. Increase by 3% the number of African Americans who pledge to be organ and tissue donors. Increase awareness and educate the target population regarding the nature and treatment of Sickle Cell.
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