With Project Health, CVS/pharmacy is operating under the very real premise that healthcare disparities exist in our communities, and that certain populations suffer disproportionately from a number of chronic diseases and risk factors – to such an extent that one risk factor – obesity – is now considered an actual disease.

With an established presence in these communities, we have a tremendous opportunity to provide direct and immediate access to quality care right where our customers live. Not only do we provide the convenience of location, and access to care that might otherwise be prohibitive because of cost, but our providers are trained in cultural competency and sensitivity. For example, they take into consideration cultural attitudes and preferences about taking over-the-counter medications versus making doctor visits, and leverage this knowledge to recommend the best health remedies that people are most likely to follow for their various conditions and risk profiles.

Cultural competency – understanding people’s values and all the nuances from a cultural standpoint – ensures that our providers are sensitive to the specific needs of our customers. They are aware of and understand that there are differences in the way people – from different cultural groups and as individuals based on their experiences within those groups – view healthcare, their healthcare providers, and the services they deliver. Through that awareness, we aim to raise the comfort level of our customers, who know that when they come to a Project Health event, they will be able to talk with someone who looks like them, speaks their language, and understands how the prevalence of a certain disease in their community affects them and their families.

This last point is especially relevant to the patients we see at Project Health, who tend to be less healthy compared to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nationwide averages from 2013 and 2014. This is why it’s so important to reach out to these communities. Looking at the Project Health events from November and December 2014 that were held in predominately Hispanic markets – including Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Tampa – here are some of the results that we’ve seen:

• High blood pressure rates at 42%, compared to the national average of 26%.

• Body Mass Index (BMI) related to obesity at 55%, compared to 33% national average.

• Glucose rates at 30%, compared to the national average of 13%.

• Cholesterol rates at 43%, compared to 28% national average. Not only that, but this represents a 6% spike in cholesterol rates since the Project Health campaign we ran in the first quarter of 2014.

The good news is that Project Health is creating greater awareness about the health disparities that exist in these communities, along with showing the importance of knowing your numbers and how they reflect health status and the ability to manage chronic disease. Knowing these numbers helps us too, in that we can offer services that will have the most impact by tailoring Project Health events for these communities.

Once you know your numbers, you also have an opportunity at these events to speak with an onsite healthcare professional – a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant – who can talk you through the steps you need to take to lower your numbers. For those without a primary care physician, or those lacking insurance, we can make referrals to a low or no-cost clinic right in the neighborhood.

We provide other tools and resources through Project Health as well, such as a Smoking Cessation program that was launched in conjunction with the removal of tobacco products from our shelves in September 2014. Since then, we’ve had nearly 4000 conversations about smoking cessation with customers across the country at Project Health events.

Knowing how difficult it is to quit smoking – people commonly make 7 to 10 times attempts at it before being successful – this four-step program tries to make the process easier, first with an assessment to find out if a person is ready to quit. Education is key and we provide it via a hotline people can call, coaching from our staff, and information about medications people can take to help them quit.

As with Project Health events, information about the Smoking Cessation program is available in English and Spanish. The program is available at all of our 7800 stores nationwide and it continues to be highlighted at the Project Health events.

For more information, visit the following:

Project Health (English)

Project Health (Spanish)

Smoking Cessation Program (English)

Smoking Cessation Program (Spanish)