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Specialized Health Clinic for Men of Color
By Rachel Cunningham
"The color of a man's skin has
an impact on his health," says Joseph West, a second-year master's
student in the Department of Health and Social Behavior. "African-American and Latino men, regardless of income, have higher rates
of heart disease, cancer, and HIV/AIDS, and they are more likely
to be victims of violence than non-minorities. Men of color have
heightened rates of mortality and morbidity, incarceration, and
unemployment." West believes these problems can be alleviated if
addressed by public health interventions.
West began thinking about the health needs of minorities
while studying sociology as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. While in
Illinois, he worked as a child welfare specialist assisting in foster care
and adoption, and became interested in helping young males with issues
relating to school, violence, and drugs. This work led West to
consider the roles communities play in the shaping of minority youth
and their lives. "In our society there has been a tendency to view
young Black and Latino males as thugs and predators," says West,
"and when the people who hold these negative sterotypes are in
positions of power--for example, teachers and school
administrators--then those who influence the
formation of identity and self-esteem in young people are translating
stereotypes into a reality for their students."
"The color of a man's skin has an impact
on his health," says Joseph West.
West's initial community involvement segued into work as a research assistant for Felton Earls, professor in the Department of Maternal and Child Health, with the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. West conducted interviews, helped with surveys and field work, and saw how "research and science could be used to give meaning and substance to ideas and theories, and how science can be used as a tool for promoting social equality and social justice." He also saw how science needs the community as a partner in research: "The members of the community are the ones who understand the culture and the processes. They know how and why the community works the way it does. If you can convince members of the community that your research will help improve their lives, then you'll get their support."
Earls became a mentor for West and encouraged him to pursue graduate work in public health. Now, in conjunction with the Cambridge Department of Public Health, the Cambridge Health Alliance, and the Men of Color Task Force, West has been working to establish the Men's Health Clinic at Riverside Health Center in Cambridge. While the clinic, which opened on January 7, is open to the general public, its primary purpose is to provide services for Black and Latino males. The clinic will not only provide such health services as physical exams and screenings, it will also address some of the social problems that affect physical and mental health: racism and prejudice, illiteracy, and unemployment.
"Traditional approaches to health problems are not enough," says West. "The standard approach to health problems is through behavior modification, such as recommendations to eat healthier foods, to stop smoking or drinking, or to get more exercise. These are all important interventions, but often minorities reside in precarious economic and social situations, and that alone is a risk factor for poor health outcome."
With the Men's Health Clinic, West hopes to create a model for other communities. He also hopes that the clinic will become a stable presence for its clients so that they can establish relationships with the primary care physicians there rather than using hospital emergency rooms for routine care.
The city of Cambridge is tapping West's knowledge of the
health concerns of minorities. He is writing a chapter for the Cambridge
Department of Health's Health of the City Assessment
on the health status of men of color in Cambridge.
West plans to continue his education next year as he pursues a
doctoral degree.
Joseph West, a master's degree
student in the Department of Health and Social
Behavior, is addressing the particular health
needs of minority men.
