Volume 2: No. 2, April 2005
SPECIAL TOPICS
ORIGINAL RESEARCH: FEATURED
ABSTRACT FROM THE 19TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHRONIC DISEASE
PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Developing a Rural Health Promotion Specialist Program to
Provide Preventive Health Care to the Medically Indigent
Joy N. Maltese, Cary Brewton
Suggested citation for this article: Maltese JN, Brewton
C. Developing a rural health promotion specialist program to
provide preventive health care to the medically indigent
[abstract]. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online] 2005 Apr [date cited]. Available from:
URL: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2005/
apr/04_0142k.htm.
PEER REVIEWED
Track: Partnerships
The objective of this program was to recruit and train
individuals to help promote preventive health care in
underserved rural areas. The program took place in Troup County
and Heard County communities in rural west Georgia.
The District Four Public Health Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative made
minor modifications to the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 program
(designed for urban areas)
and implemented it in our rural communities. To recruit lay volunteers, we primarily focused on
the faith community but also included private businesses such as laundromats and community centers. Volunteers were trained in
blood pressure screenings, body mass index (BMI) measuring, diet
counseling, exercise, and resources to support individuals
screened. A resource library was established with supporting
information that included pamphlets and flip charts to help
facilitate volunteers’ interaction with individuals at
risk. Health promotion specialists collected and submitted
contact data for aggregate review to the District Health Services
Chronic Disease Prevention staff.
After one-day training was provided to 15 health promotion
specialists on February 7, 2004, 134 people were screened over a three-month period
between February and June 2004.
Of the individuals screened, 98% were African American,
lived in rural areas of west Georgia, and were medically indigent
or had limited access to health care. The data showed that 39% of
the individuals screened were prehypertensive and 37% were
either in stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension for their systolic
measurement. The BMI measurements showed that 34% were overweight
and 40% were considered obese. Overall, 76% of those screened
showed hypertensive risks that correlated to 74% that were
overweight or obese.
Futhermore, eight individuals who had stage 2 hypertension
reported not taking medications as directed by their doctor. The
health promotion specialist was able to encourage these people to
resume their medications and recorded a return to normal blood
pressures usually after two to four weeks of taking medications on a regular
basis.
Having lay volunteers trained as health promotion specialists
in rural areas is critical in preventing stroke and heart attack
and reducing unnecessary emergency department visits in the
absence of a health care provider. Individuals screened and
counseled responded well to the advice given by people they know
and trust in their churches, community centers, and local
businesses. We currently have a waiting list for people to be
trained and hope to expand this initiative to every community in
our health district and, eventually, throughout Georgia.
Corresponding Author: Joy N. Maltese, RN, Chronic
Disease Prevention Initiatives Coordinator and Stroke and Heart
Attack Prevention Coordinator, Georgia Department of Human
Resources, Division of Public Health, District 4 Health Services,
122A Gordon Commercial Dr, LaGrange, GA 30240. Telephone:
706-845-4035. E-mail: jnmaltese@gdph.state.ga.us.
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