Reports on Health Priorities
General
This report presents ten key findings from what is likely the largest door-to-door, community health survey ever carried out in Chicago. It was conducted by the research branch of the Sinai Health System, the Sinai Urban Health Institute and presents information about 1,700 scientifically selected households in 6 Chicago community areas.
This report focuses on high blood pressure, arthritis, physical activity, healthy eating, food shopping, binge drinking and cancer screening in the same 6 community areas as Report 1.
This plan was created through a comprehensive community planning process involving the NCP lead organization in Humboldt Park, Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation, and involved many residents, community organizations, area institutions and city agencies. This communal vision of a healthy and vibrant Humboldt Park includes not just planning but action, including 55 projects all claimed by lead agencies that are in different stages of implementation.
Asthma
This article describes the finding of a pilot project designed to impact of Lay Health Educators (LHE) in reducing asthma morbidity and improving the quality of life for inner-city African American children with poorly controlled asthma. Two Lay Educators were trained as a part of the study and did home visits to study participants 3-4 times over 6 months. The LHEs' gave individualized asthma education to every family. Participants who completed all sessions were found to have less frequent visits to the emergency room, improved quality of life, improved use of asthma medication and had fewer asthma triggers in the home.
Active lifestyles
This report was produced by CO-OP Humboldt Park (Community Organizing for Obesity Prevention in Humboldt Park), a project of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center and Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago's Children (CLOCC). The report is based on an obesity related survey given to both children and adults during the summer of 2005. The report focuses on the many complex causes of obesity and calls for the community of Humboldt Park to organize and educate residents about the importance nutrition and physical activity.
Diabetes
This study assesses the impact of diabetes on Puerto Ricans living in the Greater Humboldt Park community. Nationally 6.1% of adults in the U.S. have diabetes—amongst Puerto Ricans in Humboldt Park 20.8% have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. It is estimated that actual diabetes rates for this group could be as high as 31%.
The Humboldt Park Diabetes Task Force was formed in response to issues raised by the paper: "Disproportionate Impact of Diabetes on a Puerto Rican Community of Chicago." The Call to Action report developed by the Diabetes Task Force focuses on organizing the community of Humboldt Park around the topic of Diabetes and presents recommendations to lessen the impact of diabetes.
HIV/AIDS
In October of 2007 the Community of Wellness released this report, calling on community members and civic leaders to respond to inadequate HIV/AIDS funding and awareness within Illinois Latino communities.
The Call to Action project also revealed insights into the weaknesses of small organizations and small projects within larger organizations to adequately address HIV/AIDS in Latino communities.For many years, HIV/AIDS organizations serving Latinos in Greater Humboldt Park have struggled with limited ability to acquire grants, implement services effectively and retain enough staff over time.This project provided a forum in which organizational leaders started to consider alternative approaches to funding acquisition and service delivery.
Health careers
In 2007 the Greater Humboldt Park Community of Wellness commissioned Consultant John Straw to conduct research related to health careers in Humboldt Park. This report is the product of that research and details the educational and job-readiness profile of low-income individuals of Greater Humboldt Park, the current and future critical labor shortages in healthcare, the demographic profile of patients served by hospitals and community health centers in and near Greater Humboldt Park, and the existing health career training programs accessible to members of the Greater Humboldt Park community.