Journal of Hepatology and Gastrointestinal disorders
Open Access
ISSN: 2475-3181
+44-77-2385-9429
ISSN: 2475-3181
+44-77-2385-9429
Regina Leonard
George Mason University School of Nursing Fairfax, USA
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Hepatol Gastroint Dis
Statement of the Problem: Preventable chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity are much more prevalent in the African-American community. Food deserts increases the proportion of these diagnoses within the African- American community as they force many to purchase foods from corner store markets and fast food stores which carry products with limited nutritional value and a higher sodium, calorie, sugar and cholesterol content. Aim & Methodology: This study aimed to determine if increased access to healthy food options, health screenings and health education along with meal preparation education will decrease poor food choices and increase awareness of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cholesterol in the low-income African-American population which resides within the food desert of the District of Columbiaâ??s ward 7 and 8. Findings: Using Kaiser Permanenteâ??s thrive van, researcher who conducted health screening fair to identify participants through surveys for intervention focus groups. Focus groups were used: (1) To gather information on cultural diet and health perceptions; (2) to educate on diabetes, hypertension, obesity and hyperlipidemia and (3) to train participants on how to prepare healthy versions of cultural foods. After the completion of the focus groups there was the evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention in the form of a post-test and participants were provided with a healthy cultural cookbook. Conclusion & Significance: This project can be replicated in other food deserts and low-income areas to help to modify the diet of those residents. By changing the dietary habits of the population, millions of lives could be saved through a reduction in excessive hospital admissions due to complications from diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and obesity. This could lead to copious amounts of money saved by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other insurance payers.
E-mail: rleonard77@gmail.com