CDC sees decline in death from diseases that disparately plague African-Americans

Diseases resulting from tobacco use, obesity and diabetes, plus heart disease and stroke are some of the leading causes of death among African-Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The racial disparities are vast between Blacks and whites when comparing the prevalence of these diseases and their related death rates. Closing the gap has been difficult, but over the past three years, the CDC’s initiative Partnering4Health has funded and facilitated the activities of community-based organizations aimed at reducing death from these conditions.

The CDC’s Division of Community Health selected three national organizations — the American Heart Association, American Planning Association and the National WIC Association — to work with their existing regional or local affiliates, chapters or members. Those organizations “provided 97 funding awards to 94 communities and their cohorts.” The additional two national organizations funded were the Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) and the Society for Public Health Education, both of which provided training, communication support and technical assistance to the project.

The three-year initiative yielded the following successes:

■ 5 percent reduction in the rate of death and disability due to tobacco use;

■ 3 percent reduction in the prevalence of obesity;

■ 3 percent reduction in the rates of death and disability due to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. 

The community-based strategies largely involved creative ways to increase awareness about tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity and lack of access to chronic disease prevention, risk reduction or management. Through the use of their newsletters, websites, email blasts, conferences, forums and existing publications, they reached their members, chapters/affiliates, partners, stakeholders, decision makers and other audiences. They also distributed CDC media messages and public service announcements to key audiences.

The mission of reversing negative behaviors largely through health education and awareness was daunting because of the prevalence of the unhealthy behavior. 

“Health risk behaviors cause much of the chronic diseases prevalent in our society today. Tobacco use, the lack of physical activity and poor nutrition are three behaviors that can lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity,” said Doreleena Sammons Hackett, executive director of DHPE. “These unhealthy behaviors can be corrected, once started. But more importantly, they are preventable.”

According to the CDC, more than one-third of adults (36 percent), or about 84 million people, are obese. That includes about one in six youths (17 percent) ages 2–19 years. The report recommends that making a few changes in society and in personal lives can make a difference.

“The 94 funded communities made remarkable strides in improving access to healthier opportunities where people live, work and play,” the report states. It also outlined the following results:

■ More than 16 million people in communities throughout the United States now have more access to nutritious foods, physical activity, smoke-free environments and/or clinical preventive services.

■ Residents of 74 communities now have more access to healthy food and beverage options at corner stores, vending machines, mobile food trucks, farmers markets or via new community gardens. 

■ More farmers markets and other sources of fresh produce in those communities now accept food stamps and WIC vouchers. 

■ Residents of 36 communities have more opportunities for physical activity through the creation of bike- and walker-friendly spaces, strengthening of school physical education, addition of worksite wellness sites, and/or new shared use agreements that allow the public to access unused facilities. 

■ People in six communities have more smoke-free environments.

■ Mothers of young children in 29 communities can take advantage of breast feeding-friendly environments and better links to community resources that promote healthy lifestyles. 

Overall, the initiative was deemed a major success.

“True to its name, the Partnering4Health project showed that a model of supporting healthier communities by working with and through national organizations is a viable way to leverage resources and build capacity at both the local and national levels,” the white paper concludes. “After this promising start, it has great future potential for reaching even more communities.”

Now that the three-year initiative has ended, the challenge will be to sustain the results and continue to spread education. The information is still available for use.

“To ensure that community agencies, faith-based organizations and health advocates interested in improving the health of their communities have access to the resources from the Partnering4Health initiative, the white paper and other resources have been posted to Partnering4Health.org,” said Thometta Cozart, DHPE’s Partnering4Health communications manager. 

The site logs the lessons learned from the community health project and makes them available to the general public. Organizers hope the website — which includes snapshots of the projects, an online training course, an inspiring video story and loads of resources and materials — will give communities tools in the future to continue to build and nurture healthier communities and lifestyle.

“The bottom line is that people need healthier choices where they live, work and play. And when you get the right people at the table and connect them with partners and organizations with similar goals, you can do some amazing things,” said Cheryl Welbeck, project director of DHPE’s Partnering4Health.