Monday, July 13, 2009

Barber shops and blood pressure

Now this is a good idea - how barber shops serve up blood pressure checks:

Nu-Image, Just the Way You Like It and Sly's each offered free blood pressure checks and educational materials to African Americans, who are twice as likely to have a stroke as white Americans.

Janelle Holder-Williams of the American Stroke Association said the idea of reaching out to black men in barber shops is simple: "We wanted to reach the men where they are. Historically, the barber shop was also a hospital for the black community, because there was little else. ..."

Holder-Williams said after the age of 35, black men are four times more likely to suffer a stroke than white men.

This was targeting a particular group, but what's the harm in doing this in any barber shop?

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