On Nov. 21, PG CAN to Announce New Pilot Program to Tackle Health Disparities Among African Americans & Hispanics in Prince George's County

Five Local Churches to Receive Resources to Provide County Residents With Access to Online Resources That Help Address Chronic Diseases & Stem Premature Death

LANDOVER, Md., Nov. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to change the tide of health disparities and high incidences of premature death – due to untreated chronic diseases – in Prince George's County, Md., PG CAN is launching a pilot program to disseminate health information to African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

On Monday, Nov. 21 from 12:30-2:30 p.m., PG CAN will announce the details of the pilot during a luncheon attended by John O'Brien, President and COO, Prince George's Hospital Center; Kenneth Glover, President and CEO, Dimensions Healthcare System; Dr. Bettye Muwwakkil, President, Health Action Forum of Prince George's County; Pamela B. Creekmur, Acting Health Officer, Prince George's Health Department (invited); and many other health advocates who are working on this issue.

The Prince George's Care Access Network Health Information and Resource Initiative (PG CAN) is a partnership between the Prince George's Hospital Center, First Baptist Church of Glenarden and the Health Action Forum of Prince George's County.

Prince George's County, with its large population of Blacks and Hispanics, ranks significantly higher than the Maryland average for rates of mortality, natality, morbidity and prevalence of chronic diseases. In addition, the number of uninsured people in the county has grown to 123,877 or 15.3 percent of residents, according to PG CAN.  

The pilot will be implemented in five faith-based organizations. Computers will be placed in the local churches to provide up-to-date consumer health information using the National Library of Medicine's online resources and the Medline Plus magazine. "With 60 percent of county residents belonging to a church, it is urgent that the pilot will start with local churches to begin to target those with untreated chronic diseases," said Bettye Muwwakkil, Ph.D., President of the Health Action Forum. The participating churches are First Baptist Church of Glenarden, Carolina Missionary Baptist Church, New Vision Church, The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square and Zion Church. These organizations represent approximately 30,000 Prince George's County residents.

The PG CAN pilot is building from the success of a similar faith-based program launched in Knoxville, Tenn., which found that 95 percent of participants who completed a survey indicated that the information they received improved their overall health habits and lifestyles.

If the PG CAN pilot proves successful, based on an independent evaluation by the University of Maryland's School of Public Health, it will be expanded to other churches in Prince George's County.

The PG CAN luncheon will be the official launch of the pilot. Luncheon speakers include:

• John K. Jenkins Sr., Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Glenarden
• John O' Brien, President and Chief Operating Officer, Prince George's Hospital Center
• Kenneth Glover, President and CEO, Dimensions Healthcare System
• Cassandra Allen, Outreach Librarian, National Library of Medicine

SOURCE First Baptist Church of Glenarden