From the Bench to the Barbershop: Community Engagement to Raise Awareness About Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant and Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

Background: Infectious diseases, such as hepatitis C and community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), are emerging health issues.

Objectives: The CA-MRSA Project (CAMP1) extended its learning collaborative to the barbershop/hair salon settings to increase awareness and prevention of CA-MRSA and hepatitis C infections.

Methods: Education sessions on CA-MRSA and hepatitis C were conducted with 43 estheticians at nine barbershop/hair salons in New York City. All completed pre-post intervention knowledge tests. Low-cost primary care referral cards were also distributed in the CA-MRSA education project.

Results: Knowledge about CA-MRSA risks (p < .0003) and infection prevention measures (p < .0001), as well as hepatitis C knowledge and prevention (both p < .0001) increased. Nine shops received referral cards (n = 500) and 4% of the cards (n = 19) were distributed to clients. No self-referrals were reported.

Conclusions: CAMP1 successfully recruited and trained a cadre of estheticians on CA-MRSA and hepatitis C prevention increasing their health knowledge deepening our engagement with the community.