Pack Health Announces Commitment to Inclusion

August 15, 2018
Allison Hoit

Pack Health Announces Commitment to Inclusion in Partnership with Lakeshore Foundation, NCHPAD

Birmingham, AL (July 26, 2018) –Pack Health is pleased to announce its Commitment to Inclusion in partnership with Lakeshore Foundation and the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD).

More than 21 million U.S. adults 18 to 64 years of age have a disability, and the statistics tell us that adults with disabilities are three times more likely to have a chronic condition than adults without disabilities.  Lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise can help reduce the risk and impact of these conditions, yet according to the CDC, nearly half of all adults with disabilities aren’t getting leisure time aerobic physical activity. In light of these statistics, Pack Health has committed to making its digital health coaching programs more inclusive of individuals with disabilities. This multipronged initiative will include employee education, website improvements, evaluation of existing materials, and program improvement.

“As we engage more members with a range of abilities and disabilities, it’s essential that we use evidence-based methods to accommodate their needs.” explains Pack Health President Mazi Rasulnia PhD. “The programming developed by Lakeshore Foundation and NCHPAD is truly top notch, and we’re excited to incorporate their expertise to better serve members nationwide.”

To kick off improvements for a more inclusive engagement model, Pack Health will work with Lakeshore Foundation and NCHPAD to implement a diabetes prevention program that is inclusive of people with disabilities. Pack Health employees will receive training from NCHPAD on the approved curriculum Prevent T2 for All and additional training related to the inclusion of people with disabilities in evidence-based programming.

“People with disabilities frequently face so many barriers that discourage them from participating in health promotion opportunities,” says Lakeshore Foundation President Jeff Underwood. “This partnership will offer a unique opportunity to expand an evidence-based program to a very underserved group of adults.”

Commit to Inclusion is a global campaign to end the exclusion of people with disability from physical activity and all associated areas.  It’s expansion, Partnership for Inclusive Health, unites organizations behind disability inclusionary practices in health community efforts.  It calls on organizations to make a formal commitment to inclusion to state how they will work to build inclusive health communities and ensure their work is inclusive of everyone.

If you are interested in making your program or organization more inclusive of people with disability, contact NCHPAD to find out more about what you can do to help your organization Commit to Inclusion. (http://committoinclusion.org/inclusivehealth/)

About Pack Health

Pack Health is a digital health coaching company that helps people access the right care and develop self-management skills to improve their health. Pack Health members work one-on-one with a nonclinical Health Advisor, online and over the phone, to address social determinants of health and achieve personal health goals. Results include quality life years added, higher satisfaction, better clinical outcomes, and lower total medical cost. Learn more at http://www.packhealth.com/.

About Lakeshore Foundation, NCHPAD and the UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative

Lakeshore Foundation’s activity, research and advocacy initiatives annually serve thousands of children and adults with physical disabilities and chronic health conditions. Lakeshore is home to the CDC-funded National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD). NCHPAD works to create health equity by providing individualized information, referral and consultation services to people with disabilities, families, caregivers, policymakers, community members, health care practitioners and public health professionals through an array of web-based materials and health communication endeavors.  The UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative is a research partnership between Lakeshore Foundation and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Ultimately, the Collaborative seeks to improve the quality of life of individuals with physical disabilities through comprehensive rehabilitation and sport science research.

For more information, visit www.lakeshore.org and www.nchpad.org.

1 – https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/pa.html