Background/Purpose: The present study involved the implementation of a comprehensive, strategic planning tool, Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP), to examine the link between health risk behaviors and associated barriers to care.
Method: Mailed survey (N = 60; 82% female, 18% male), ages 50-64, within an African American faith community in the NRV.
Analysis/Results: A total of 26% of respondents rated themselves as overweight (BMI of 25– 29.9) and 48% considered themselves to be obese (BMI of 30+). In addition, 52% reported smoking at least two packs of cigarettes per day. Furthermore, 16% reported never having a mammogram, and 18% of men never had a prostate exam. A total of 16% lacked any form of health insurance. While 64% reported having health care coverage, 71.4% did not have dental insurance. The most prominent barriers to accessing health care for both groups included an excessive co-payment (8.7%), health insurance plans not covering the necessary services (13%), and more than 18% could not afford to pay for health services out-of-pocket.
Conclusions: A perpetual link exists among health risk behaviors, health insurance coverage, and barriers to health care, including dental health. Furthermore, this link should be carefully considered among health professionals when working with racial/ethnic minority patients. The prevalence of health risk behaviors, as well as the barriers to health care among African American seniors in faith communities, warrant further attention regarding health care policies and faith-based health promotion initiatives tailored to the cultural health beliefs of this group.