Somerset County Health Department

7920 Crisfield Highway
Westover, MD 21871

The purpose of the Lookin’ Tight, Livin’ Right project is to address cardiovascular disease by expanding heart healthy environmental support in the community and health care settings. The program is designed to assist African Americans in changing their high risk behaviors by addressing sectors that will subsequently lead to adopting healthier lifestyles and practices to improve overall health. The project coalition consists of the Somerset County Health Department, John Wesley United Methodist Church, and the Ministerial Association. These three organizations work collaboratively to implement the project.

The program is designed to focus on lifestyle change and addressing high risk behaviors (e.g., physical inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use). Project staff conducts a train-the trainer program which teaches screening and outreach skills to interested members of the community who then serve as lay health workers. Lay health workers give presentations on cardiovascular health and risk factors at faith-based organizations, worksites, and health care settings. Following the presentations, blood pressure screenings are conducted by the lay health workers with the assistance of project staff. Project staff and lay health workers distribute program information and fact sheets on cardiovascular disease, and conduct blood pressure screenings during health fairs and/or outreach activities conducted throughout the target community. The project sponsors walking and aerobics programs to improve the health and fitness of the participants. Project staff also host 10 physical fitness events each year at various locations throughout the community. The community-wide health education and promotion campaign creates project signs, highway billboards, fact sheets on cardiovascular disease and stroke, and project brochures that are culturally appropriate and literacy effective. The coalition members each host one community train-the-trainer program, and participate in the community-wide health education and promotion campaign.