Who:
John Purakal, a third-year medical student, and two second-year medical students, Joseph Tsao and Jakub Sikora-Klak, have launched a public education program to expand awareness about health issues for audiences in Detroit that may not have access to basic health information.

What:
Through their program, Raising Our Community's Knowledge (ROCK), they give free presentations about diseases that are prevalent in the community. Their next talk will focus on hypertension and atherosclerosis. ROCK was developed through the School of Medicine as a yearlong project focused on community involvement. So far the students have given talks to more than 900 people. Audiences have included senior citizens' organizations and free clinics in Detroit, as well as students at University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Cass Technical High School.

When:
Saturday, Aug. 20 at approximately 4 p.m.

Where:
Fellowship Chapel Church, 7707 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48235

Why:
Purakal developed the idea for ROCK while collecting data for a three-country research project into hypertension in African-Americans whose roots trace back to the Caribbean and Africa. The study involved patients with hypertension in Tanzania, Jamaica and Detroit, and evaluating the potential relationships between psychosocial understanding of high blood pressure and potential risk factors, including social demographics, medication and self-reported dietary changes. "We found that a large facet of the high prevalence can be correlated to the patients' understanding of their own disease," Purakal said. "We found that there was a significant underappreciation and misunderstanding of the disease processes here in Detroit."

The less informed the person, the greater his likelihood of developing high blood pressure and diabetes. ROCK is setting out to address that lack of information and understanding.

Those who would like to be included in ROCK's mailing list or know a person or group interested in presentations, as well as students interested in public health who would like to volunteer with the group, may email RaisingKnowledge@gmail.com.

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