Community Healthcare Navigator Project

Grantee Name

National Urban League

Funding Area

Special Projects Fund

Publication Date

May 2012

Grant Amount

$201,065

Grant Date:

September 1, 2008 – March 1, 2010

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Disparities in access to health care place a significant burden on the economic, social, and health status of African Americans.

African Americans disproportionately suffer from the effects of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and others. For example, they are twice as likely to die from diabetes and 30% more likely to die from cancer or heart disease than whites. Nearly 90% of people with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes are overweight. Because approximately 80% of African-American women are overweight or obese, they are at an especially high risk for diabetes.

With NYHealth’s support, the National Urban League (NUL) implemented and evaluated “Remarkable Woman: That’s You!” a community-based model aimed at reducing obesity and diabetes among African-American women living in the Buffalo area.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

Developed the “Remarkable Woman: That’s You!” curriculum, implementation, and evaluation manuals.
Trained the community health workers.
Facilitated focus groups and interviewed key informants.
Assisted NUL’s Buffalo affiliate office on strategies to achieve milestones.
Provided training and technical assistance to NUL affiliates at annual trainings.
Supplied materials and research for additional curriculum areas.
Enrolled 126 African-American women in the six-week intervention, “Remarkable Woman: That’s You!”
Found that participants had improved knowledge of curriculum topics, increased exercise levels, decreased obesity and overweight status, decreased hypertension, and continued to see a primary care physician to address health care issues.

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