FIU medical students to learn from unlikely teachers: residents of South Florida

MIAMI – A study released today by the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) at Florida International University paints a sobering picture of poverty and medical need in certain North Miami-Dade County neighborhoods.

Approximately 35 percent of those surveyed were uninsured for at least some time during the previous 12 months, more than double the estimated national rate. The infant mortality rate in one of the areas surveyed is 14.5 per 1,000 live births, well above the Florida rate of 7.2 per 1,000 live births. Close to 60 percent of African American residents report high blood pressure, compared to 25 percent of Hispanic residents, providing evidence of some of the important disparities present in this community. Forty percent of all residents are diabetic, 30 percent suffer from asthma, and 22 percent are obese.

“The research reveals a community in pain,” said Dr. Juan Acuña, who oversaw the design, collection, and analysis of the data as director of the College of Medicine’s Division for Research, Data, and Information. “We know we can make a difference through education and targeted intervention so that this community in need can improve its health and decrease its health disparities.”

The HWCOM Benchmark Survey lays the groundwork for the Green Family NeighborhoodHELP™ project, part of the innovative Green Family Medicine and Society curriculum of the College of Medicine. Green Family NeighborhoodHELP pairs every medical student with a household in North Miami-Dade, including areas of the cities of Miami Gardens, Opa-locka and unincorporated Miami-Dade. Medical students will visit the households regularly during the last three years of their medical education along with colleagues from social work and nursing. The student-household relationship is expected to help improve health indicators in the area, while giving students a unique first-hand learning experience.

The Benchmark Survey was completed by a team of specially trained surveyors who visited 1,738 households between October 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010. The participating households are in zip codes 33054, 33055, 33056, and 33169 – an area at roughly bound by NW 57^th Ave. in the west, the Florida Turnpike in the north, North Miami Avenue in the east and a jagged southern border. The majority of the respondents to the survey were females (56.8 percent), African Americans (59.8 percent), and individuals between 45 and 64 years old (36.5 percent).

Other salient findings:

• Unemployment: 17.5 percent, as compared to 11.4 in the State of Florida at that time.
• Births to teenage mothers: As high as 11.3 percent in zip code 33054, as compared to 8 percent in the State of Florida.
• Household income: 47.1% have incomes of less than $10,000 per capita per year.

Now that a public health snapshot of the community has been captured, student teams supervised by a faculty member will work with households that were selected by HWCOM through partnerships with community organizations in the area. The FIU student teams will visit their households at least once a month starting in September 2010. They will assist with health education, prevention and improved access to healthcare. Depending on the needs of a household, students from public health, law, education, business and others may join the team in the future.

“Students will learn that there are so many factors involved in whether someone goes to the doctor or not, whether they take their medicine or not, whether they eat properly or not,” said Dr. John Rock, dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. “These neighborhoods will become classrooms and at the same time, we will be making a real difference.”

Luther Brewster, community director for Green Family NeighborhoodHELP, said the partnership with the North Miami-Dade neighborhoods will be a success because of the community’s willingness to collaborate.

“The level of response of the community, community leaders, and community organizations has been very positive,” Brewster said.  “FIU’s College of Medicine has partnered with the offices of the mayors of Opa-locka and Miami Gardens and to date 38 community-based organizations have referred households to the program. Within a 10-week period this network of partners referred more than 200 households to the program. This speaks to the community’s desire to be part of the solution.”

For a map of the area surveyed, click here.

To read a New York Times story that mentions HWCOM click here and for a Miami Herald story on NeighborhoodHELP click here.

 Media Contact:  Madeline Baró at 305-348-2234.