Take a Health Professional to the People: A community outreach strategy for mobilizing African American barber shops and beauty salons as health promotion sites

Browne, Mario C. and Ford, Angela F. and Thomas, Stephen B. (2006) Take a Health Professional to the People: A community outreach strategy for mobilizing African American barber shops and beauty salons as health promotion sites. Health Education & Behavior 33(4):425-432.

Abstract

Objectives
In September 2002, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched “Take
a Loved One to the Doctor Day”, a national effort to promote health and wellness in the
African American community. The Center for Minority Health (CMH) at the Graduate
School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh adopted this model and tailored it to
meet local needs by partnering with seven barbershops, two beauty salons, and over one
hundred health professionals (HPs) to create what is now known as “Take a Health
Professional to the People Day”. The focus of this partnership was to provide screenings
and health information to patrons and transform these shops and salons into health
promotion sites.