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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />May 24, 2007 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne MilesCassell 1 May 24, 2007 <br />ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT: To enhance the quality of life, <br />promote the health, and preserve the environment for all people in the Orange County community. <br /> <br />THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MET ON May 24, 2007 at the Government Services <br />Center, Hillsborough, North Carolina. <br /> <br />BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS PRESENT: Matt Vizithum, Chair; Tim Carey; Moses Carey, Jr.; <br />Anissa Vines; DeWana Anderson; Jim Stefanadis; Ernie Dobson; <br /> <br />BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS ABSENT: Sharon Freeland, meeting conflict; Jessica Lee, out of <br />town; Chris Harlan, out of town; Sharon Van Horn <br /> <br />STAFF PRESENT: Rosemary Summers, Health Director; Wayne Sherman, Personal Health Services <br />Division Director; Tom Konsler, Environmental Health Services Division Director; Donna King, <br />Health Promotion and Education Services Division Director; Angela Cooke, Dental Health Services <br />Division Director; Anne Miles Cassell, Administrative Assistant; Elvira Mebane, Central <br />Administrative Services <br /> <br />GUESTS PRESENT: India Ornelas, UNC Chapel Hill; Willie Lambert, Rhonda Lambert, Yolanda <br />Whitted, Michael Beasley, Man for Health <br /> <br />I. Man for Health Project Presentation <br /> <br />UNC, United Voices of Efland, and OCHD have partnered for the past 3 years in the <br />implementation of a CDC funded grant to assess the impact of men helping men around the <br />issue of prostate cancer. Men as Navigators (MAN) for Health used a lay health model approach <br />to train motivated African-American men from the Efland-Cedar grove-Hillsborough community <br />to work with other men to improve awareness of the increased incidence and risk of prostate <br />cancer and encourage men to utilize preventive PSA screening to determine their status. The <br />male health advisers, known as Navigators, worked with up to 10 male friends or acquaintances <br />in the community to share information and gather data on health behaviors, attitudes, and <br />knowledge to determine if interventions had any impact on health. <br /> <br />India Ornelas, UNC Program Assistant with the MAN for Health Project, presented the results of <br />the community-based participatory research for Orange County men. The study found that the <br />initial good health habits declined by the end of 6 months for various reasons. Matt Vizithum <br />asked whether lack of insurance was a factor in the decline. Ms. Ornelas replied that not enough <br />information was available at this stage and she would be able to answer that question when the <br />study is completed in 6 months. <br /> <br />Willie Lambert and Michael Beasley, two of the Navigators, discussed the benefits and <br />challenges of participating in a research study on men’s health. Their initial goal was to hold <br />monthly meetings and share information and educate other men in the community to make <br />informed health related decisions. Work schedules and family obligations were a challenge. <br />They learned that women play a key role in health outcomes for the men in their lives and that <br />Navigators need additional training and education on multiple common illnesses prevalent in <br />the community, not just cancer.