Interventions to promote health are critical in addressing health inequities in marginalized communities. Race, gender, socioeconomic factors, and education are all structural factors related to health that influence health outcomes. As a result, promoting health initiatives must be designed to address the factors that influence health outcomes at the upstream, midstream, and downstream levels. This paper examines BWHI as a non-profit organization that uses promoting health strategies to tackle health disparities among Black girls and women in the U.S.
Differences Between Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream Interventions
Upstream interventions aim to tackle the root causes of health inequality and encourage equity in health. They modify social, financial, and political structures (Jeanie Sauerland & HEC-C, 2021). Regulations that improve the availability of affordable housing, training, and employment opportunities are examples of upstream interventions. These interventions are intended to keep health issues from developing in the first place. Midstream interventions focus on the community, seeking to alter the circumstances that contribute to poor medical outcomes.
Community-based initiatives which encourage healthy behaviors such as exercising and eating well are examples of midstream interventions. These interventions aim to reduce health inequities by increasing resource availability and encouraging healthy behavior. Downstream interventions focus on people who are already suffering from health problems. Rehabilitation, Medical treatment, and disease control programs are examples of downstream interventions. These interventions are intended to improve the wellness of individuals who already have medical problems.
An Organization That Uses Health Promotion Interventions Targeting a Marginalized Community
The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is one organization that employs a health promotion intervention for a specific marginalized community. The BWHI is a national organization dedicated to advancing the wellness and health of Black women and girls in the U. S. (BWHI, 2023). Through activism, education, and research, the institution’s goal is to promote care delivery and social equity for Black women. BWHI uses a variety of health promotion strategies to resolve the structural health determinants that affect Black women and girls. The non-profit’s “My Sister’s Keeper” program, for example, provides assistance and guidance to Black women who are stressed as a result of systemic prejudice and bias (BWHI, 2023). Online tools, peer support groups, and psychological care are all part of the program.
BWHI also engages in national policy advocacy to enhance medical outcomes for Black women and girls. In 2019, BWHI collaborated with Hologic, Inc. to launch Project Health Equality (PHE). The project sought to tackle the cultural and structural obstacles hindering Black and Hispanic women in the United States from getting similar high-quality care as white women (ITN, 2019). In addition, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded BWHI a $1.2 million grant to improve preconception and postpartum treatment for Black mothers (BWHI, 2022). BWHI seeks to foster healthcare and better medical results for this underserved community through advocacy, education, and research.
Type of Health Promotion Intervention That the Organization Uses
Since the organization is devoted to tackling the social factors influencing health that affect Black women and girls, BWHI’s strategy for healthcare promotion can be categorized as upstream. BWHI engages in national policy advocacy to enhance wellness for Black women and girls. The organization upholds initiatives to tackle health-related social factors such as affordable homes, education, and job opportunities. While evaluating the effectiveness of upstream initiatives in the short term can be difficult, addressing social factors affecting health can result in better health results over time (Daniel et al., 2018). Furthermore, BWHI is implementing a systems-level strategy for health promotion by concentrating on upstream elements that impact health outcomes. This approach acknowledges the importance of social, financial, and political aspects of health outcomes and aims to tackle these aspects to promote health fairness.
Conclusion
Interventions that resolve the structural factors that influence health are critical in addressing healthcare disparities in marginalized communities. BWHI is advancing significantly in addressing upstream variables affecting Black and Hispanic women’s health outcomes. The organization aims to tackle the social factors that influence health and promote health equity through research, community education and outreach, and policy advocacy. As a result, BWHI’s approach is likely to improve the health and well-being of the Black women and girls it represents.
References
Black Women’s Health Imperative. (2022). Black women’s health imperative wins $1.2M grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Web.
Black Women’s Health Imperative. (2023). Who we are. Retrieved from” Web.
Daniel, H., Bornstein, S. S., Kane, G. C., & Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians. (2018). Addressing social determinants to improve patient care and promote health equity: an American College of Physicians position paper. Annals of Internal Medicine, 168(8), 577-578. Web.
ITN. (2019). Hologic launches $20M initiative to tackle racial disparities in healthcare. ITNonline.com. Web.
Jeanie Sauerland, M. A., & HEC-C, B. S. N. (2021). The social determinants of health, COVID-19, and structural competence. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 26(2), 1-13. Web.