New initiative aims to improve Chicagoans’ health

With so many unhealthy but tempting foods lying around, with all the pressure we’re under at work and all the environmental changes that directly affect our well-being, staying healthy can be an uphill battle. Sometimes we get so caught up in the daily business that we forget to go in for our annual checkups or routine examinations. That’s got to change.

In an effort to raise awareness and improve quality of life, the Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI) has partnered with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) to launch a community health project on Chicago’s west side. The initiative will be funded by a $1.2 million grant, provided by BCBSIL.

Sinai Urban Health Institute had begun working on the project a few years ago, in North Lawndale’s African American community and was focused on gathering key data on households and identifying the size and scope of the diabetes epidemic. By joining forces with BCBSIL for the development of “The Lawndale Diabetes Project”, SUHI will be able to extend the program’s focus on the diabetes epidemic to the predominantly Hispanic South Lawndale area as well.

“Diabetes and childhood obesity are certainly pressing concerns that will negatively impact the health status and quality of life of many of Illinois residents” said Donna Gerber, BCBSIL vice president of Strategy and Community Investment. “With SUHI’s help, we can begin to have a positive impact on this trend in two Chicago communities that have a higher prevalence of this disease. Based on what we learn here, it’s our hope that we can then replicate our efforts in other Illinois communities.”

The project will employ local community health workers and resources to survey 3,000 residents, in an attempt to gather significant data on the residents’ overall health, identify predisposition to developing diabetes, and collect information on childhood obesity, lifestyle behaviors and beliefs related to physical fitness, cooking, eating and nutrition. Based on this information, the organizations will be able to develop consistent strategies and elaborate better plans to improve the health status of those with the disease, and lower the risk of developing the disease for those at high-risk.