Techquity by Faith and heart Health

Before the month concludes, we’d like to highlight that October is Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month! In recognition of the month, we’d like to share the work Project 5: Techquity by FAITH has done to address disparities related to heart health. Recently, Techquity by FAITH conducted their Digital Health Advocate (DHA) Training. This initiative focuses on the second aim of the project, which involves training African American church partners as "Digital Health Advocates" (DHAs). These DHAs then go on to provide peer support and education to participants in their church's trial, aligning with the project's third aim. Principal Investigator Dr. LaPrincess Brewer, MD, MPH and Co-Investigator Dr. Demilade Adedinsewo M.B., Ch.B.from Mayo Clinic, Florida led a portion of the training, emphasizing digital health equity and the use of digital tools for health promotion.

Additionally, Dr. Donnell Ivy, MD, MPH provided comprehensive instruction on the "Community Health Advocacy Training" (CHAT) curriculum created by the Association of Black Cardiologists. This training aligns with the NHLBI's manual, "With Every Heartbeat Is Life: Community Health Worker Resources for African Americans," equipping DHAs to educate their communities about cardiovascular disease, its risk factors, and prevention strategies. The training concluded with a full-day, in-person session on September 21st and October 19, which included a final exam and a graduation ceremony to recognize the DHAs' preparedness to share their knowledge. DHAs participated in the graduation ceremony, celebrating the completion of their training and their readiness to provide education and peer support to their fellow church members involved in the program.

Congratulations to the DHAs and thank you to the Techquity by FAITH team for their wonderful work in health equity related to heart health!