Open AccessKnowledgeable Neighbors:A Mobile Clinic Model for Disease Prevention and Screening in Underserved Communities
Author(s) -
Caterina Hill,
David Zurakowski,
Jennifer Bennet,
Rainelle Walker-White,
Jamie L. Osman,
Aaron R. Quarles,
Nancy E. Oriol
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2011.300472
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , environmental health , disease , gerontology , pathology
The Family Van mobile health clinic uses a "Knowledgeable Neighbor" model to deliver cost-effective screening and prevention activities in underserved neighborhoods in Boston, MA. We have described the Knowledgeable Neighbor model and used operational data collected from 2006 to 2009 to evaluate the service. The Family Van successfully reached mainly minority low-income men and women. Of the clients screened, 60% had previously undetected elevated blood pressure, 14% had previously undetected elevated blood glucose, and 38% had previously undetected elevated total cholesterol. This represents an important model for reaching underserved communities to deliver proven cost-effective prevention activities, both to help control health care costs and to reduce health disparities.