IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1591 
Recognizing the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program’s contribution 
to the national fight against health disparities through education, commu-
nity involvement, research, and culturally relevant strategies that seek 
to improve health outcomes in Black communities across the country. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2010 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Ms. 
MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, 
Mr. RUSH, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, 
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. MEEK of 
Florida, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. 
DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. CLAY) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Pro-
gram’s contribution to the national fight against health 
disparities through education, community involvement, 
research, and culturally relevant strategies that seek to 
improve health outcomes in Black communities across 
the country. 
Whereas cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes 
are leading causes of death and disability in the United 
States, and cost hundreds of billions of dollars in health 
services, medication, and lost productivity each year; 
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•HRES 1591 IH 
Whereas many individuals experience more than one of these 
health conditions simultaneously, increasing the prob-
ability that they will develop additional related health 
conditions, experience complications as a result of such 
conditions, or die prematurely; 
Whereas cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes 
are largely preventable and manageable through appro-
priate health education, healthier lifestyle habits, proper 
adherence to medication and treatment regimens, and 
routine utilization of primary care; 
Whereas educational, cultural, social, genetic, environmental, 
and economic factors (including inadequate access to 
quality health care services) contribute to disproportion-
ately high rates of hypertension and diabetes among Afri-
can-Americans, and to the increased risk of complica-
tions, comorbidities, and death that accompany these con-
ditions; 
Whereas non-Hispanic Blacks living in the United States 
have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world; 
Whereas non-Hispanic Blacks are the most likely to develop 
diabetes and to suffer from the complications that can re-
sult from untreated or unmanaged diabetes (including 
amputation, blindness, kidney failure, and end-stage 
renal disease); 
Whereas although non-Hispanic Blacks are less likely to be 
diagnosed with heart disease, they are more likely than 
other groups in the United States to— 
(1) die from cardiovascular disease; and 
(2) experience complications resulting from the dis-
ease; 
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•HRES 1591 IH 
Whereas African-American men are especially vulnerable to 
the impacts of racial health disparities, as reflected by 
the fact that Black men have the lowest average life ex-
pectancy of any group in the United States; 
Whereas a lack of trust, cultural barriers, and other barriers 
to accessing routine primary care have prevented many 
Black men from significantly benefitting from interven-
tions and treatments that were designed to diagnose, 
manage, and prevent cardiovascular disease, diabetes, 
and hypertension; 
Whereas culturally competent health education and delivery 
methods are essential to— 
(1) preventing and combating racial health dispari-
ties; and 
(2) maximizing the effectiveness of current and fu-
ture treatments and resources that are intended to 
achieve and support better health in African-American 
communities; 
Whereas historically, there have been few widespread, well- 
funded, and well-known projects or institutions that use 
culturally relevant and scientifically based strategies and 
models to focus on improving health education, aware-
ness, and outcomes for Black men; 
Whereas Black-owned barbershops have served as cultural in-
stitutions in the Black community for generations, regu-
larly attract large and diverse groups of Black men, and 
provide health advocates with an opportunity to empower 
and educate Black men about health issues in a trusted 
and familiar space; 
Whereas in December 2007, the Diabetic Amputation Pre-
vention Foundation launched the Black Barbershop 
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Health Outreach Program to increase public awareness 
about cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension 
among Black men by partnering with Black-owned bar-
bershops, and local leaders, facilities, and organizations, 
to provide culturally specific education and health serv-
ices to Black men; 
Whereas the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program ad-
dresses cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes 
in Black men by— 
(1) providing screening for hypertension and diabe-
tes; 
(2) disseminating information on early detection, 
management, and prevention of such conditions; 
(3) producing innovative and scientifically based re-
search; and 
(4) referring men to facilities that can address addi-
tional health and medical needs; 
Whereas the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program ex-
panded its focus from hypertension, diabetes, and heart 
disease to include prostate cancer, which African-Amer-
ican men are more likely to develop and die from than 
any other group in the United States; 
Whereas the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program 
has screened over 10,000 men in 230 Black-owned bar-
bershops for diabetes, hypertension, and prostate cancer 
across the country since December 2007; 
Whereas the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program 
plans to screen 20,000 men in 2010 and 500,000 men 
by 2012; 
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Whereas the health status of family members and spouses of 
Black men, and their environment, culture, and daily 
habits can— 
(1) play a large role in determining the risk that a 
Black man will develop cardiovascular disease, hyper-
tension, or diabetes; and 
(2) provide opportunities for executing sustainable 
solutions to these conditions; and 
Whereas the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program 
will also target Black-owned beauty shops to reach Black 
women, and take a holistic approach to diagnosing, pre-
venting, and managing cardiovascular disease, hyper-
tension, and diabetes in the Black community: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) commends the Black Barbershop Health 
Outreach Program for its valuable contribution to 
community health and the national fight against ra-
cial health disparities; 
(2) expresses the need to support organizations, 
programs, and initiatives that— 
(A) use culturally relevant education and 
scientifically based research; and 
(B) partner with local networks and re-
sources to empower individuals to become in-
formed health advocates in their communities; 
and 
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(3) expresses a commitment to support commu-
nity-oriented approaches to health reform in health 
legislation and initiatives arising at both the State 
and Federal levels. 
Æ 
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