Brightmoor Neighborhood of Detroit City

Running head : INTERVIEW INTERVIEW N ame of the S tudent N ame of the university A 1 INTERVIEW Chosen community - Brightmoor neighborhood of Detroit city. Interview questions 1. What is your name and your occupation? My name is James Downy and I work as a health assistant in the local primary care clinic. 2. What is the main ethnic group in this community? We, the African people are the main ethnic group in this region. 3. Please shed some light on the religious beliefs of this community. We are mainly of Christian belief. God helps us and gives us strength to fight adverse situations out here. 4. Is your community in sound health? The health issues are more among us than the other ethnicities, probably du e to g enetic disposition or due to health care disparities, lack of health literacy or poor diet. 5. What types of medical condition does your community suffer from? As you can see, obesity is pretty common out here, but the most concerning thing is the increasing rate of heart diseases among the community. Most of the older peopl e have hypertension, which are prone to stroke and heart attack. 6. How you as a health assistant promote health? During health care screening, I often provide some health recommen dations like eating healthy food, measuring blood pressure regularly, exercising daily. Our health clinic often arrange for 2 INTERVIEW health promotion campaigns for management of conditions like diabetes, heart diseases, COPD, asthma, smoking cessation. We take part in them. 7. What is the perception of health to your community? People think they will remain healthy by the grace of god. They remain healthy and happy as long as their entire community is happy and healthy. 8. Do they have adequate health literacy? Not in a ll aspects. They tend to avoid medications and try to adhere more to alternative medicines. They also do not come for regular screening of hypertension or Diabetes; frequently misses follow up care and do not adhere to medications. 9. What are some of the fa ctors which affect the health of a community? Racism, discrimination, poverty, disparities in health care facilities. 10. What type of support services is available in the community for the people? There are rehabilitation care centers for the one with disabi lities, one instituition for youth giving vocational trainings. 11. Are there any special provisions for vulnerable group like, w omen, children and older people. Yes, there is a NGO that provides support services for the vulnerable adults. But they are unabl e to do much due to lack of funding. 12. What is the role does the local church play, in promoting health in the community. 3 INTERVIEW Churches fund for health promotion. The charitable trust of the Church arrange for free meals thrice in a week for the home less people. 13. The obesity rate of people in this community is high. How would you relate it to the dietary patterns of the this population Some times they do not get access to healthy food, as fresh fruits and vegetables are always not affordable for them. Mos t of the children we see out here are dependent on burgers and fries. 14. Do they get affordable food? What resources are available? Prices are high, it becomes difficult for them to buy health food at such prices. 15. Does the community have recreational ameni ties like playground or gym? Yes, a park is there. There is a gym, but there are very less equipment out there. 16. Name one heal th problem , which you find is acute in this community and need s serious health promotion and initiative. Hypertension. People do not screen or measure their blood pressure regularly, not even once in six months. They have lesser knowledge on food habits, exercises, treatment rights. 4 INTERVIEW 5 INTERVIEW