LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Many men put their health at the bottom of the list, and research shows they are often less likely to seek preventive care or openly discuss health concerns. A program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is trying to change that by taking health conversations to a familiar community space: the barbershop.
The initiative, called Barbershop Talk, is a UAMS research study that brings educational sessions into barbershops to talk with men about their health. The program is designed to spark conversations about a range of issues, including mental health, drinking and other health conditions.
“Barbershop Talk is a research study that we have where we’re going into barbershops and we’re talking to men about their health,” said Dr. Tiffany Haynes, an associate professor in the Fay Boozman College of Public Health at UAMS.
A key focus includes risks associated with unhealthy alcohol use, which can contribute to serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Haynes said the program works to increase awareness about what healthy drinking looks like and the long-term impact of drinking too much.
“Well, one thing we bring awareness,” Haynes said. “I think sometimes when we’re talking about alcohol drinking, we don’t think of it as a problem, and so we talk about how many drinks is really healthy, and what happens if we get over that number of drinks, and what’s really the impact that drinking over time can have on us.”
Haynes said the conversations can help men think differently about everyday habits and connect them to services if they decide they need help.
The program is open to barbershops across Arkansas. “Any barber shop that’s in Arkansas is eligible to participate right now,” Haynes said. She said the initiative has spent a lot of time in Eastern Arkansas and is looking to expand into other areas, including Western and Southwest Arkansas.
The program has been running for a few years and has reached hundreds of men. Haynes said the initiative has screened more than 800 men and taught men in 61 barbershops, calling it “one of the largest barbershop initiatives that we’ve had in the country.”
People who want to learn more can find UAMS Barbershop Talk on Facebook and Instagram, email Barbershop talk@uams.edu, or text 523-1587.