The LeMoyne-Owen College/Meharry Wellness Project supports student-led community-based participatory research, intervention, and prevention to eliminate health disparities in communities surrounding Tennessee private HBCUs. The program’s main objective is to enhance the quality of life in these communities by increasing the awareness of health disparities and encouraging individuals to develop healthier lifestyle behaviors that eliminate health disparities.

Selected Student Health Ambassadors (SHA), acting and serving as change agents, will enroll in a service learning class. Through chosen research studies and projects, the SHAs will provide education along with other intervention/prevention methods to yield better health and well being of the local community as well as perform community service by supporting local health and social service agencies in areas identified as community concerns and/or needs. SHAs must be a sophomore and be willing to commit two years to the program. Each SHA will receive an educational stipend for their participation.

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Initiatives:

The United We Stand Divided We Fall Barbershop Forum. Infant mortality has been identified as a huge public health concern in the United States. Although infant mortality rates in the United States have declined, the rates among Blacks are more than two times higher as compared with other racial and ethnic groups. This study was completed as an informal informational groups session at a local barbershops, exploring Black men's awareness and perceptions of infant mortality in their community. [PDF]

Wellness in Christ: Building Faith & Body. African American women have the highest rates of obesity which places them at greater risks for other diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and Type II Diabetes. The focus of this program was to decrease obesity levels in African American women by educating them on exercise and nutrition. [PDF]

Preventing Childhood Obesity One Community At A Time. The purpose of this project was to institute a school-based, age-appropriate curriculum to reduce and to prevent childhood obesity in elementary schools. The goal was to increase awareness and to empower students to make behavioral changes that would reduce rates of childhood obesity. The curriculum provided an age appropriate presentation, instruction on eating a healthy diet, and encouraged students to play actively in a safe environment, while limiting television time. The sessions allowed children and families to increase awareness of the significance of eating and exercising as a means to eliminate risks of childhood obesity and to live a life that is free from chronic diseases and/or illness. [PDF]

Community Garden for the 38126 Food Desert Area. Poor diet and exercise can cause overweight and obesity and can also cause more serious illnesses and chronic diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, etc. Although a lot of people are aware of this, they may be lacking the resources and money to improve their diet. This project will teach community members ways to economically obtain nutritious foods in a food desert. [PDF]

HIV/AIDS: Bringing Awareness, Knowledge, and Empowerment to African American Women. HIV continues to have a devastating effect on the African American community, particularly women. The foundation of this project was to not only provide knowledge of HIV, but to encourage the African American female population in the South Memphis community to get tested, educate their peers and change any risky behaviors that may lead to infection. [PDF]