“
OUR GOAL IS TO DEMONSTRATE
THE POTENTIAL OF A COMMUNITY-BASED,
FAITH-TAILORED PROGRAM TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO CARE FOR THOSE AT
“
HIGH RISK FOR GLAUCOMA. — Angela Elam, M.D.
NIH-Funded Pilot Program Addresses Disparities in Glaucoma Care
of the following criteria: (1) have a personal or family history of glaucoma; (2) are age 40 or older; or (3) have not received an eye exam in more than 2 years. The input of church and community leaders will also be sought, along with the Detroit Health Department (DHD), to
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Black
guide the recruitment of the community health workers (CHWs)
Americans, who face six times the risk of developing glaucoma
to administer the intervention. CHWs will receive 126 hours of
than their white counterparts. Because Black Americans are
training in motivational interviewing and glaucoma education,
also less likely to see an eye doctor or receive preventive care,
conducted by the Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance,
their glaucoma is four times more likely to go undiagnosed and
in conjunction with the DHD.
untreated. Angela Elam, M.D., a glaucoma clinician and health servic-
The intervention will consist of a series of discussions with an assigned CHW. During the first session, the CHW will use
es researcher at Kellogg, is preparing to launch the Community
a web-based application to generate glaucoma educational
Based Treatment for Glaucoma program (ComBaT Glaucoma).
materials tailored to the participants. Church leaders will assist
This personalized, multi-level intervention funded by the NIH
Dr. Elam with creating the faith-based messaging.
aims to increase eye care utilization among Black residents of Detroit who are at high risk for glaucoma. To overcome gaps in health awareness and barriers to care commonly observed in the Black community, ComBaT
Based on the participant’s specific barriers to care, the CHW will generate a written action plan to increase eye care utilization. The patient will also be referred to an eye care provider. “Research shows that trust is a significant barrier to eye
Glaucoma will rely on engagement methods that have proven
care utilization in Black Americans,” Dr. Elam explains,
effective in interventions for conditions like diabetes and
“and that seeing a physician of the same race or ethnicity has
cancer, but that, to date, have not been routinely employed
a positive effect on patient satisfaction. So we are partnering
for glaucoma.
with Dr. Otis Ferguson, a native of Detroit and an ophthalmolo-
“A tailored approach has been shown to yield greater engagement and better outcomes than a one-size-fits-all model,” explains Dr. Elam. “Every step of the way, we will be partnering
gist who has practiced in the city for over 20 years, to provide eye care for those who do not already have an eye doctor.” CHWs will conduct follow-up assessments by phone to
with trusted local influencers to reflect the characteristics and
monitor progress, reinforce education and revisit individual
needs of the community.”
barriers to care, and the percentage of eye care utilization in
Potential program participants will be identified in partnership with Detroit’s Historic King Solomon Missionary Baptist
4
The goal is to recruit participants who meet one or more
the group will be calculated. “Our goal is to demonstrate the potential of a community-
Church (HKSC). HKSC is an established community hub,
based, faith-tailored program to overcome barriers to care for
interfacing with thousands of local residents, both members
those at high risk for glaucoma,” Dr. Elam says. “We hope that
and non-members, through a host of worship, social and health
our pilot will be shown to be effective, sustainable and scalable
programs and events.
for other real-world community settings.”
