At A Glance
From 2013 to 2016, Tanner Health System’s Get Healthy, Live Well program shared important resources on topics like diabetes prevention, healthy eating, and the dangers of tobacco use with 1,750 African Americans in 11 west Georgia churches. The churches enthusiastically host Get Healthy, Live Well education events, classes, and activities aimed at keeping their congregations healthy.
Public Health Challenge
African Americans are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure than whites and are less likely to have the condition under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes rates are 77% higher among African Americans than whites, and life expectancy is nearly 4 years less (75.1 compared to 78.9). Racial and ethnic minorities often face lower quality of care and more barriers getting the care they need, including preventive care and chronic disease management. In addition, they may be less likely to trust health systems because of a history of mistreatment and bias.
Approach
Get Healthy, Live Well partnered with 11 African American churches in Georgia’s Carroll, Haralson, and Heard counties to build meaningful connections in the communities. The program helped churches establish wellness committees, walking groups, and weight loss and nutrition programs for their members. Each church developed its own plan using a tool adapted from CDC’s Community Health Assessment and Group Evaluation (CHANGE) action guide to define and prioritize possible areas of improvement. Get Healthy, Live Well also trained church members and pastors to set up chronic disease self-management programs and obesity prevention interventions.