Free health screenings on April 2
Indiana Black Barbershop Health Initiative taking place in Kokomo
Health screening and education events aimed at helping African American men better understand potential health risk factors will take place at two Black-owned barbershops in Kokomo on April 2.
The outreach effort in Kokomo is part of the larger, annual statewide Indiana Black Barbershop Health Initiative. The Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males (ICSSBM), along with hundreds of volunteers, sponsors, local commissions and community partners across the state will be coordinating the Annual Indiana Black Barbershop Health Initiative for its tenth year. The goal is to enlighten African American men to better understand the potential risk factors in their health through screening and education.
Locally, the free screening events will occur at Freddies All Nations Barbershop, located at 523 W. Markland Avenue, and Krispy Kutz, located at 1114 E. Morgan St., from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 2.
The screening events in Kokomo are being coordinated by The Minority Health Alliance of Howard County, Project Access and Community Howard Regional Health. Medical professionals from all three agencies will be offering body mass index, blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, along with health coaching and education.
Recent figures from the Indiana Department of Health show African American men have the highest mortality rate of any group in Indiana.
“In 2006 a Black physician in Los Angeles came up with a wonderful idea to help screen African American men who may have health disparities in the health areas of diabetes and high blood pressure and offered free screenings for those conditions,” said Lisa Washington, a Registered Nurse and Executive Director of the Minority Health Alliance of Howard County. The Indiana Black Barbershop Health Initiative joined this effort and added community partners who provided additional information related to health insurance, resources and education about health conditions. Minority Health Alliance of Howard County is proud to be a part of this initiative, along with our community partners.”
All men who participate in the Kokomo screenings will receive two free ticket vouchers to the Kokomo BobKats. Men do not have to receive a haircut to take advantage of the health screenings.