If you pay attention to popular media, taking care of cardiovascular health is not always at the top of men’s list of priorities. However, the Cambridge-based Men’s Health League (MHL) aims to change that – especially for men of color, who are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.
This unique program was first conceived in 2007 with federal funding from the Office of Minority Health, and is run by the Cambridge Public Health Department. The MHL was developed through a partnership with the Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House and the Cambridge Family YMCA, with goals of reducing men’s risk of heart disease, stroke and type II diabetes.
With support from the Institute for Community Health, program partners developed a mixed-methods evaluation including collecting pre- and post-program data from participants and assessing their clinical outcomes. This evaluation was also bolstered by qualitative data collected through conversations with men involved in the program and with staff to further delve into the impact of the program.
ICH’s partnership with the MHL was recently profiled in an ICH quarterly newsletter article. For the full article, click here.