Heredity Project Final Report

The Heredity Project community was the membership of a women-only fitness center in Memphis, TN. The CCFHH project was well received among members. It was perceived as being novel and important. In informal conversations about the project, members liked the idea of a family approach to health. It was common for members to make an association with a familial health problem, either in their own family or someone else’s. It was notable that the concept of “family health history” was readily embraced, as opposed to the concept of “genetics”, which sometimes has the opposite effect.

Summary of Methods:

5,000 sets of booklets printed
350 sets of booklets distributed (March-May 2009)
- 50 sets distributed at a Family Health Night at Vance Middle School (Family Health Nights are a regular activity of the SEPA project, Building Bridges to Health Science Literacy.)
- 100 sets distributed to other science educators at the annual conference for SEPA investigators (St Paul, MN, May 2009)
- Approximately 200 sets distributed through an ongoing partnership with Diggs-Kraus Sickle Cell and Social Services Foundation
  - April 17: Family Health and Wellness Community Event held during annual Africa in April Cultural Festival
  - May 16: Family Picnic sponsored by Memphis City Schools Connect, Diggs-Kraus, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Within the Curves community, six scheduled events were held that attracted 26 members. The events included presentations to introduce the CCFHH project and the Heredity Project and workshops to collect members’ stories. Events were held in the classroom of the Curves facility in a small-group format. A total of 92 members completed a series of questionnaires pertaining to family health history. The majority of members visiting the facility were exposed to the project through posters and conversations with staff and other members. (Approximately 80-100 members visit the facility daily.)