Program Evaluation of a Black Barbershop Health Outreach Campaign

Black-owned barbershops in the Black community lack barber administered interventions to provide education and health screenings to Black men. Increasing knowledge of health assessments in a black barbershop setting increases the number of health screenings and preventative care among Black men. Grounded in general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative summative program evaluation was to explore the extent to which a nonprofit Black barbershop health program aligns with the Health Research (HR) program objectives. The evaluation was performed for a nonprofit organization located in Maryland, 6 years after the organization implemented the HR Program Network of barbers and salon owners. The participants were 4 barbershop owners, 1 beauty salon owner, and the program manager who had knowledge of or were original members of the HR Program Network. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company documents, and company website information. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: program purpose and outcomes, program participants, and program effectiveness. A key recommendation included establishing a system to notify members of events, visits, and information. The implications for positive social change include the potential for organization’s HR Program Outreach Campaign to provide Black barbershops and salons with the necessary resources to improve their knowledge and understanding of how to offer health screenings to their clients who may not otherwise receive health screenings on their own, thus leading to a healthier community