Educator takes life-saving message to salons
By Michelle Keller | Sentinel Staff Writer
"Come on in," bellows Sophia Buggs to a young woman passing by Showtyme International Hair Salon on a lazy afternoon. Ivy Johnson, 19, hadn't planned to step into the salon, but she was drawn in by the array of food on the counter and the social buzz.
"We've got munchies - and there's a test I really want you to take," Buggs tells her. Curiosity wins her over and she walks in, instantly greeted by hairstylist Marilyn Harper. Buggs, 31, hands Johnson a sheet to test her knowledge of infant mortality, a pressing issue in the black community.
For every white baby who dies soon after birth, two black babies die, Buggs says. Is that true or false?
"True," Johnson responds hesitantly.
Buggs nods gravely.
Buggs is on a mission to change this racial disparity. A health-outreach educator working for the Save Our Babies campaign, part of the Orange County Healthy Start program, Buggs travels to hair salons and churches in predominantly black communities to pass out fliers, lead health workshops and chat with women about the importance of pre- and post-natal care.
The idea is that salon stylists and store owners can become peer mentors for their clients, handing out tip sheets that Buggs leaves behind and encouraging their pregnant clients to seek care, said Jennie Joseph, founder of Save Our Babies and owner of The Birth Place, a midwifery center.
The social atmosphere of the beauty salon makes it a perfect place for women to talk about their personal lives -- and their health -- the women behind Save Our Babies say.
"Based on statistical data and research, we've determined that African-American women tend to go to trusted resources, such as hair and nail salons and churches, for information," said Shaleana Eubanks-Worlds, program director of Save Our Babies.
Joseph started the program three years ago, when she was sick of hearing racial-disparity statistics thrown around board rooms without anyone proposing a practical solution.
"As a midwife, I often saw the enormous barriers that many women were facing when it came to care," Joseph said.
Without insurance, many women do not get medical attention until it istoo late -- for them and for their baby, she added.
Infant-mortality rates and the numbers of babies born at low birth weights are higher for black women, who often encounter these barriers.
Babies born at low birth weights are at higher risk for developmental problems, including mild to moderate mental disabilities, throughout their lives, said child-development expert Keith Scott, a professor at the University of Miami.
The effect can even pass on to the next generation, Scott said.
Although the health information passed around the salons is often serious, the scene tends to be jovial.
On this Saturday, jokes are thrown around as Buggs goes through the test, but at one point, Harper, 52, interrupts the conversation.
"You know, even though we joke about some of this stuff, the reality is that many women actually don't know anything about it," she says.
"It's true," added Buggs. "Many women believe crazy myths when it comes to pregnancy."
The outreach work done by Save Our Babies benefits a variety of people, from women who can either use the information themselves to those who share it with friends and family.
"I thought the workshop was very informative," said Sharon Reidhart, 40, who gets her hair done regularly at Showtyme International Hair Salon and attended the Saturday workshop. "I have a niece who is now trying to have a baby. I will tell her what I've learned today."
Michelle Keller can be reached at mkeller@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5517.