Birmingham, Alabama — The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is making strides in addressing health disparities across Alabama with its Live HealthSmart Alabama initiative. At a recent Senior Wellness Expo held at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, the initiative’s Mobile Wellness clinic was on hand to offer on-site health screenings to local residents.
The clinic was especially busy, as individuals like Laura Dudley eagerly awaited their health assessments. Dudley remarked, ‘Sometimes what you do makes your blood pressure go up,’ as she prepared for her check-up.
Live HealthSmart Alabama, launched in 2019, aims to tackle chronic health issues that plague the state, which ranks low nationwide for health indicators, such as obesity and diabetes. ‘We want individuals to understand how to take charge of their health,’ explained Lemeshia Chambers, operations director for the initiative.
Detangling Health Barriers
Chambers noted that the initiative does not solely focus on individual behavior; it also recognizes systemic barriers that prevent residents in underserved communities from making healthy choices. The four pilot neighborhoods—Bush Hills, East Lake, Kingston, and Titusville—have been targeted for improvements due to their significant health challenges.
Dr. Dalton Norwood, who oversees prevention and wellness efforts, emphasized, ‘For years, we’ve been telling individuals from these communities to go exercise, but they don’t have a place to safely do it.’ Through Live HealthSmart Alabama, the goal is to improve both physical environments and health education to encourage healthier lifestyles.
Innovative Outreach Strategies
According to Norwood, community involvement is key. The Mobile Wellness clinic provides health consultations and follows up on necessary care, assisting nearly 80% of screened individuals with abnormal health results. Community health coaches also play a vital role in navigating health care systems.
Besides healthcare access, the initiative also promotes nutrition through its Mobile Market—an innovative grocery store on wheels stocked with fresh produce and other essential items sourced at cost from local suppliers.
Community Engagement and Impact
Chambers shared that UAB collaborates with various departments and students to implement its programs, ensuring a wide reach. ‘The Collat School of Business has helped our community members understand how to create a budget as it relates to what they’re attempting to accomplish in their communities,’ she noted.
Engagement is yielding promising results; UAB reports a 60% follow-up rate for patients receiving care through the Mobile Wellness clinic, showing improvements in diabetes management and overall health indicators.
A Path Forward
As the initiative continues to expand, the organizers are applying successful models from Birmingham to establish health interventions in other Alabama regions. ‘We’ve begun our expansion throughout the state, starting in Selma, with implementation to happen in Demopolis and Camden in early 2025,’ Chambers affirmed. The future looks hopeful as Live HealthSmart Alabama works towards its mission to build healthier communities across the state.
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