Community Outreach

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death from chronic disease in the United States and accounts for nearly 1 in 3 deaths.   According to a recent study in the journal Circulation (Schultz et al., Circulation, 2018), socioeconomic status has a momentous effect that attaches biological, behavioral and psychosocial risk factors with cardiovascular disease.  Low-income level, lower education level, unemployment stats, environmental factors, and social aspects of neighborhoods have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.  Several of these factors result in reduced access to quality and preventative care, as well as decrease the resources available to promote proper nutrition and to maintain a healthier lifestyle. 

The CCDS is dedicated to reduce these health disparities by providing community education and opportunities for free screening. As part of this commitment, the CCDS participates in LSU Shreveport Family Health Day, which provides the local community with free cancer screenings and EKG screenings and the CCDS sponsored their first annual Heart Health Day in September 2019, which provided additional opportunities for education and screenings. The CCDS clinical faculty, with leadership from Dr. Paari Dominic, were able to diagnose multiple patients with cardiac atherosclerosis and cardiac arrhythmias. The patients who tested positive for either problem were then scheduled in the University Health Cardiology clinic and were provided appropriate care which included other testing and treatment. The CCDS plans to continue with these community outreach projects in 2022.

The CCDS faculty work closely with the American Heart Association and participate in the annual National GO RED Day.