Community Health Coalition Provides 30 Years Of Service To The Community

Durham, NC – For 30 years, the Community Health Coalition (CHC) has served as a vital link to the African American community in Durham with expanding reach into neighboring counties. It is because of the community, its grant funders like Pfizer, Durham County Public Health Department, ABC Board, The License to Give Trust Fund, BlueCross BlueShield NC; donors and organizational partners like The LINKS, the Auxiliary of Durham Academic of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, Eastern Star of NC, Central Carolina Nurses Council Inc., dedicated board members, staff and volunteers that it has been able to remain strong!

The critical health needs and factors affecting the health outcomes and wellbeing of African Americans in Durham that led to the creation of the CHC remain drivers of the CHC’s mission and work.  These factors and health needs include disproportionately high numbers of African Americans living in Durham who were suffering from high mortality and morbidity related to preventive chronic health conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal failure, and cancer. 

In addition, there were concerns by medical practitioners including the founder Dr. Elaine Hart Brothers that far too many African Americans were receiving treatment for multiple chronic health conditions at Duke Medical Center and its local affiliates however were facing barriers related to health self-management.  Known as The City of Medicine, Durham was and continues to grapple with the reality of being the hub of the top medical research center in the world—Duke University and medical facilities—a segment of the community—African Americans and the poor—are not demonstrating health outcomes reflective of the cutting edge medical resources and supports provided by Duke’s vast system of medical care, research, and education.  Disparities in health outcomes for ethnic minorities also remain a failure.

CHC because of its history, mission, and respect it has gained in the community has a built-in structure for identifying and knowing how to overcome these obstacles.

CHC was founded in 1989 and the mission was formalized in 1990 with the birth of Healthy People,  a program of nationwide health-promotion and disease-prevention goals set by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The goals were first set in 1979, for the following decade, 1989. The goals were subsequently updated for Healthy People 2000, Healthy People 2010, Healthy People 2020 and now Healthy People 2030!

The mission was/is to reduce health disparities and preventable diseases and death in the Durham African American community. The strategy was to be a professional outreach organization for health promotion and disease prevention.  The primary disease prevention and management focus then and over the years has been devoted to diabetes, cardiovascular disease (strokes and heart attacks), hypertension, cancers, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and more recently includes mental health, childhood obesity, men’s health, and organ donation awareness.  CHC also advocates for health equity.

CHC Over the 30 Years Has:

• Administered over 9000 blood pressure checks and over 6000 glucose screenings;
• Distributed over 100,000 health-related educational brochures and pamphlets to the community;
• Reached over 1000 women and encouraged them to have mammograms;
• Published monthly Health Tips covering mental health, women’s and men’s health concerns, myths and realities of organ donation, cancers, etc. duplicated them and distributed well over 50,000 to the community, churches, organizations, and libraries;
• Registered over 700 organ donors with the State of North Carolina;
• Provided FREE healthy dinners and valuable health research data to approximately 250 community people/year for the past 20 years at its Annual May Meeting (5000 Dinners!);
• Taught FREE diabetes self-management, breast cancer/health awareness, substance abuse workshops over the years to the community.

The Future: 

CHC is launching HEALTHY PEOPLE 2030, moving forward with positive possibilities and leaving inequities in the past.  Healthy People 2030 plans to be more inclusive, policy-driven and with more complete physical and mental health promotion federal programs. In society’s journey toward Health Equity, our community can move forward with good health as individuals, families, and population

CHC Encourages the Community to Continue Advancing Quality and Equity in Health: 

To eliminate racial health disparities, to improve the health of our African American population and to achieve health equity by:

• Acknowledging, addressing and raising awareness of this critical issue,
• Exploring and participating in programs, including all races, sexual identity, abled and disabled in activities to reduce health inequalities,
• Maintaining a regular and accessible primary care provider,
• Adopting a healthy lifestyle toward the prevention of stress and disease,
• Advocating and demanding quality healthcare while taking charge of your health,
• Maintaining an adequate personal support system for your mind, body, and soul,
• asking your health care system to track and report racial disparities and actions to correct them,
• Funding community-based organization working for health equity,
• assisting in alleviating inadequate determinants of health— poor jobs, lack of food, homelessness,
• Managing your own health, focusing on healthful recommendations for diet and exercise (or nutrition and physical activity) which are like meds, but also take medication prescribed, and
• Acquainting yourself to the new digital technologies to manage health and wellness, like MUSE, Apple watch, and Fitbit.

CHC looks forward to 30 more years of service to the community with your continued support. Thank you!

For more information about Community Health Coalition or to make a donation, visit https://www.chealthc.org/