Merging the Sense of Belonging, Self-health Advocacy, and Community Engagement in Rural Beauty and Barbershops
Abstract
Background
In rural communities, residents value relationships and are “more likely than their urban or suburban counterparts to know their neighbors” (Parker et al., 2018). Knowing their neighbors and community business owners extends beyond chance encounters and results in life-changing and mind-shifting engagement. Such engagement yields benefits in social interaction, mental stimulation, personal empowerment, and above all enhanced health and wellness. Considering this, rural community members feel considerable comfort with utilizing their barbers and beauticians as lay health liaisons.
Methods
The Barbershop & Beauty Shop Health Initiative embraces the challenge to address the health and wellness needs of rural Georgia citizens through a state-of-the-art approach via partnerships with local barbers, beauticians, healthcare providers, and community-based organizations. The sole mission of this initiative is to provide health promotion and education programs where many people feel most comfortable in their communities—their barber shops and beauty salons. These programs are being planned and held at seasonal times of the year to offer educational resources on chronic diseases, basic vitals, body measures, and nutritional information on healthier eating. Program participants also receive free food and discounted grooming and beauty services. All initiative activities are evaluated for program effectiveness and sustainability.
Anticipated Results
It is expected for program participants to demonstrate enhanced knowledge in areas of nutrition and chronic disease prevalence and management. Initiative activities are expected to empower rural residents to play a greater role of advocacy in addressing their health and wellness needs.
Conclusion
Providing the Barber Shop and Beauty Shop Health Initiative to residents across rural Georgia is an invaluable service that should result in empowering men, women, and children to live healthier lives and equip barbers and beauticians to be contributors to this empowerment journey.
Key Words
Rural Health, Program Design, Belonging, Self-health Advocacy, Community Engagement, Program Evaluation
Keywords
Rural Health, Program Design, Belonging, Self-health Advocacy, Community Engagement, Program Evaluation
Merging the Sense of Belonging, Self-health Advocacy, and Community Engagement in Rural Beauty and Barbershops
Background
In rural communities, residents value relationships and are “more likely than their urban or suburban counterparts to know their neighbors” (Parker et al., 2018). Knowing their neighbors and community business owners extends beyond chance encounters and results in life-changing and mind-shifting engagement. Such engagement yields benefits in social interaction, mental stimulation, personal empowerment, and above all enhanced health and wellness. Considering this, rural community members feel considerable comfort with utilizing their barbers and beauticians as lay health liaisons.
Methods
The Barbershop & Beauty Shop Health Initiative embraces the challenge to address the health and wellness needs of rural Georgia citizens through a state-of-the-art approach via partnerships with local barbers, beauticians, healthcare providers, and community-based organizations. The sole mission of this initiative is to provide health promotion and education programs where many people feel most comfortable in their communities—their barber shops and beauty salons. These programs are being planned and held at seasonal times of the year to offer educational resources on chronic diseases, basic vitals, body measures, and nutritional information on healthier eating. Program participants also receive free food and discounted grooming and beauty services. All initiative activities are evaluated for program effectiveness and sustainability.
Anticipated Results
It is expected for program participants to demonstrate enhanced knowledge in areas of nutrition and chronic disease prevalence and management. Initiative activities are expected to empower rural residents to play a greater role of advocacy in addressing their health and wellness needs.
Conclusion
Providing the Barber Shop and Beauty Shop Health Initiative to residents across rural Georgia is an invaluable service that should result in empowering men, women, and children to live healthier lives and equip barbers and beauticians to be contributors to this empowerment journey.
Key Words
Rural Health, Program Design, Belonging, Self-health Advocacy, Community Engagement, Program Evaluation
