Meeting the Community Where They Are: The Frazier Family Coalition
The stroke rate in Philadelphia is 20 times the national average, and the fourth-highest cause of death in the city.
The Frazier Family Coalition for Stroke Education and Prevention, a partnership between Jefferson Health and Temple Health and coordinated through Jefferson’s Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, works in collaboration with the community to improve health access, address social determinants, and equip individuals with the tools necessary to reduce the high rates of stroke in North Philadelphia, one of the poorest communities in the city.
“Early intervention saves lives, reduces disability, and improves patient outcomes,” says Robert H. Rosenwasser, MD, MBA, the Jewell L. Osterholm Professor and Chair of Neurological Surgery and president of the Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience. “This Coalition delivers on all fronts— raising awareness, educating residents, and bringing expert clinical care to a community that desperately needs it.”
The Coalition is successfully going beyond the confines of its building to provide life-saving services and meet people where they are. “We’re thinking outside of the box and experiencing real change,” says Neva White, DNP, executive director of the Coalition.
The team at the Frazier Family Coalition offers comprehensive health education and community programs that connect at-risk individuals to clinical services and much-needed resources. Their primary focus is to champion health equity for North Philadelphia and surrounding communities. Health equity in peripheral artery disease has led the team to their barbershop initiative.
White is excited about an innovative new screening program for peripheral artery disease, a common circulation problem that can increase the risk of limb loss. “We’ve partnered with seven barbershops in the community to provide ankle-brachial index screening, a test that studies circulation by comparing the pressures of the arms and legs,” she says. The 19132 zip code where the Coalition is located has the highest rate of amputation in Pennsylvania, a statistic that has galvanized staff in their screening efforts to lower the number of unnecessary amputations.
While many barbers and customers involved had family members who had undergone amputations, most didn’t realize that they themselves were at risk for circulation issues. The barbers became strong advocates of the program, spreading the word throughout the shops and community. “We need to ensure that people are screened to learn about their risk, and receive access to care,” White notes.
In September, 73 men visited Jefferson Alumni Hall for a men’s wellness breakfast co-sponsored by the National African American Male Wellness Agency and the Mayor’s Commission on Male Engagement. The event featured health screenings and panel discussions with experts from medicine, pharmacy, and mental health services.
Events like these have generated additional interest and programming. The Coalition staffs “health corners” in the barbershops, offering health education, nutrition information, and blood pressure screenings. Additional Coalition offerings include a new hypertension education and monitoring program as well as stroke education, diabetes prevention and self-management, nutrition, and computer literacy programs and free food distribution through Sharing Excess.
The Frazier Family Coalition for Stroke Education and Prevention was established through a generous gift from Andréa and Kenneth Frazier. Philanthropy remains a cornerstone of the program. To make a charitable gift or to learn more, click here.