The Frank E. Staggers, Sr., MD, Hypertension Project aspires to the goals and values of the project’s namesake, the late Frank Staggers, Sr., MD. Doctor Staggers inspired individuals, organizations and communities to do something more than they would have ordinarily done to promote health and well-being.
In that spirit, this project aspires to address a significant health malady – hypertension – and calls on the collaborative spirit in Alameda County to develop a comprehensive, integrated and community-wide model to prevent and treat hypertension. It is envisioned that the project’s scope will range from addressing the upstream causes of hypertension (poverty and health disparities, environmental issues, lifestyle, lack of health coverage, etc.), to creating community-based prevention and detection programs that link patients with sources of care, and then to enhancing the health care system’s ability to more effectively prevent, treat and control hypertension. Moreover, it is intended that this project be a replicable model for other communities.
Self-reported rates of hypertension in Alameda County (28%) are similar to the U.S. hypertension rate (29%). However, disparities in the prevalence of hypertension between African American and other race/ethnicities may be more extreme in Alameda County than in the U.S. with a prevalence rate of 48% in African Americans compared to 23% in Asians, 24% Latinos, and 28% Whites. African Americans have two to three times the stroke hospitalization rate compared with any other racial/ethnic group and twice the rate of heart failure-related hospitalizations over any other racial/ethnic group in Alameda County. Targeting hypertension prevents serious illnesses and mortality. For example, about 2000 African Americans die in Alameda County each year – prevention of 30% of these deaths means 600 saved lives per year. This project is also focused on Alameda County because of the spirit of collaboration that exists in this community, which has led to many forward-thinking health care initiatives that have improved community health. It is a great starting place for creating a template that could be replicated in other communities after it is fully developed. In his spirit, the Frank E. Staggers, Sr., MD, Hypertension Project has already received enthusiastic support from health care organizations, public health agencies, community organizations, and public policy advocates (see "Supporting Organizations" below).
Affinity Medical Group Alameda Health Consortium Alameda Health System Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association Alameda County Health Care Services Agency Alameda County Pharmacists Association Alameda County Psychological Association Alta Bates-Summit Ethnic Health Institute American Heart Association – Western States Region American Nurses Association, California Chapter Brown and Toland Medical Group California Department of Public Health Chinese American Physicians Society (CAPS) City of Berkeley Division of Public Health Community Health Center Network Hill Physicians Medical Group Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, East Bay Section Kaiser Permanente Samuel Merritt University Sinkler-Miller Medical Association UC Berkeley School of Public Health