Improving Heart Health of African-Americans in Indiana;

a culture-centered approach

Mohan Dutta, professor of health communication, and his team, will develop and evaluate training for leaders in African-American communities in Lake and Marion counties regarding how to develop a strategy to promote health information in their community, evaluate the health disparities hub, and assess how these changes increased and utilized the underserved African-American community's capacity to create relevant information about heart disease.

Rather than relying on just on the experts to develop the message, the community involvement will mean greater understanding of the community and a message that is culturally tailored.  With this community-driven and culture-centered approach the community participates in the decision making and strategy development, while the academic partner plays a capacity building role and makes resources possible.