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LOS ANGELES, CA- On Saturday, February 17, The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program will address the growing concern of African American men and health disparities during the Los Angeles Initiative of the ground-breaking grass-roots initiative. The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program will offer from diabetes and hypertension screenings in Black-owned barbershops in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.
Founded in 2006, The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program is the first initiative of its kind to exclusively address health care disparities among African American men on a national level. The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program has screened over 30,000 African American men across the country for cardiovascular disease as well as prostate cancer. Now, the program is on a mission to screen and educate 1 million African American men for cardiovascular disease by the year 2020. The BBHOP will underscore the need for African American men to adopt healthier lifestyles and to promote early detection of diabetes and hypertension. Forty percent (40%) of African American men die prematurely from cardiovascular disease as compared to 21% of white men. Black men suffer far worse health conditions than any other racial group in America. There are a number of reasons for this. They include racial discrimination; a lack of affordable health services; poor health education, cultural barriers; poverty, employment that does not carry health insurance; insufficient medical and social services catering to black men.
The health fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To find a local barbershop near you that is participating, please visit www.blackbarbershop.org.
