Aprii 10, 2002
Page A5
Health Advocates Fight Death and Disease
African American Health Coalition embarks on new campaign to improve the health of local residents
T he A frican A m erican Health
C oalition has received a $3 million
federal grant over 3 years to re
duce death and disease in the
black com m unity.
A frican A m ericans die o f p re
ventable diseases m ore than any
oth er population. T he grant will
allow the coalition to launch a
m ajor cam paign to help reverse
those statistics through ed u ca
tion, advocacy and research.
C o alitio n P resid en t C o rliss
M cK eever joined D onnie G riffin,
the deputy director o f the O regon
D epartm ent o f H um an Services
and State E pidem iologist Dr. Mel
K ron at a new s conference T u es
day to announce details o f the
effort.
C ardiovascular disease is the
number one killer o f African Ameri
cans in O regon. In fact, an A frican
A m erican is tw ice as likely as a
white American todie from a stroke
and alm ost one and a h alf tim es as
This is a
historical break
through in bettering
the health of the
African American
community.
— Corliss McKeever, president
of the African American
Health Coalition
V
likely to die from a heart attack.
The m ajorrisk factors are over-
w eight/obesity, physical inactiv
ity, sm oking, high blood pressure
and diabetes.
Statistics show 80 percent o f
the A frican A m erican population
in O regon lives in north and north
east. Portland. That m eans reach
ing the targeted people for partici-
pation and tracking this ne w cam
paign and com m unity action plan
is highly achievable.
“T his is a historical b reak
through in bettering the health o f
the A frican A m erican com m u
nity," said C orliss M cK eever the
President o f the A frican A m eri
can H ealth C oalition. “W e know
through education and interven
tions w e can save lives and turn
the statistics on this m inority
population around."
A com m unity action plan is
designed to link A frican A m eri
cans to preventive clinical ser
vices (hypertension, dyslipidem ia
and diabetes screening and m an
agem ent) and o th er resources
(sm oking cessation, mental health
services ) know n to reduce the risk
o f cardiovascular disease.
The co alitio n ’s goal for the
A frican A m erican com m unity in
O regon is to becom e the healthi
est in the nation.
Now, a Credit Union for You
Corliss Mckeever, president o f the African American Health Coalition, addresses a news
conference on Tuesday to announce the receipt o f a $3 million grant to make life saving changes
in the local African American community.
photo by M ark
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