Associate Q&A: Health and Wellness
Associates across Kroger Health share their health and wellness journeys and best practices while speaking out on how healthcare professionals can better patient experiences for patients of color.
Q: What rituals and/or habits do you practice for maintaining health and wellness?
Kristopher: I like to bike ride with my son and play tennis with my dad. I also enjoy taking family walks in our neighborhood and local parks and taking spin classes.
Jourdan: I am a beginner in learning what works best for my body. I've utilized resources like YouTube to follow along with Yoga sessions. I also actively listen to my body when it says we need to make a doctor's visit or rest. Although physical maintenance is important, mind and mental maintenance is also a priority.
Shaunte: I love to read. It allows me to get out of my head and have different experiences. It's a great stress reliever. I always feel better after I've read a good book. Also, I GO TO THE DOCTOR. So many people in my community have decided they don't need to go to the doctor. It is false and harmful. I always make sure my numbers are where they need to be and make sure I'm healthy.
Erika: I listen to my Pastor Joel Osteen's daily podcast for my spiritual and mental health. It helps me to get a positive start on the day. More recently, I have revamped my physical routine by utilizing my Apple smartwatch to help track my sleeping patterns and physical activity. It has even become a competition between my closest friends and me to close our rings 3-5 times weekly. I have also started using an app to count calories. All these things together help encourage my patients and me to live healthier lives.
Dr. Watkins: Set realistic, attainable goals. Regular exercise, get the right amount of sleep (7-8) hours per day, and practice healthy eating.
Q: Will you tell us about your physical, mental, and/or emotional health and wellness journey?
Kristopher: My grandmothers, my parents, my aunts, and my uncles blessed me with a solid spiritual and emotional foundation of how to live my life, be grounded, and become a lifelong learner. This has informed me to make sure I take time from the daily grind to relax and rejuvenate with family. Also, I have grown to improve my dietary habits and find different avenues of physical activity.
Jourdan: It has been a journey of peaks and valleys. I realize that I need to take a beat to listen to my body and pay attention to its needs. I can't run on empty, and maintaining my health is of the utmost importance. So, I will be more intentional about the journey and make sure I am putting key practices and people in place so that I am, what I deem, successful.
Q: What are your short-term and long-term health and wellness goals?
Kristopher: My short-term goals are to begin a weightlifting and cardio regimen that the pandemic has hampered. My long-term goals are to achieve a healthier weight to help prevent and control some of the ailments that have plagued my family and ancestors.
Erika: My long-term wellness goal is to continue to build healthy habits such as eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water, increasing physical activity, and increasing overall self-care awareness.
Q: What challenges have you faced when navigating the healthcare system?
Kristopher: As a teenager, I had knee surgery due to an injury during football conditioning. The school system covered the surgery. However, I had inadequate insurance coverage for physical therapy and rehab. I think this reflects a current problem of care not being accessible due to patients being non-insured or underinsured.
Jourdan: I have faced the challenge of not being seen as a person by my medical providers. This is a challenge many African Americans face. Many people's concerns are dismissed, and their needs are not met, which presents a challenge when you're seeking attention for a health-related problem.
Shaunte: Sometimes, our bodies are different. We deal with ailments differently, and not all medical professionals understand that. It puts us at a disadvantage, so we must learn to speak up about our health concerns.
I saw an episode of a medical show where a Black woman was denied entry into a trial because some of her test numbers came back too high. The trial hadn't considered that Black women develop hypertension earlier in life and have a higher average blood pressure than other races. At first, she was excluded from the trial. Thankfully, she had a Black doctor who fought for her, but this isn't always the case. The show shined a light on the issue and stressed the need to advocate for ourselves, especially regarding our health and wellness.
Q: How about sharing a positive healthcare experience, where the care you received made the difference for you and your family.
Kristopher: I was a college student when I received healthcare from an African American health professional for the first time. This, along with my mother being a registered nurse who worked on the first artificial heart surgery, further propelled me on my journey towards becoming a healthcare professional.
Jourdan: The most positive healthcare experience was with Texas Children's Hospital and their staff when I gave birth to my daughter in 2016. Although the circumstances of my pregnancy were not favorable, they were able to provide my family and me with an outstanding experience during an extended stay.
Q: What can healthcare professionals and or industry leaders do to improve the experience and outcomes for communities of color?
Kristopher: I think we can do a better job of individualizing care. We should listen to the patients and learn about their concerns, expectations, and goals. From this, the health professional and the patient can make collaborative decisions on care. I believe increased rapport and trust can lead to more positive outcomes.
Jourdan: They need to take the time to listen and remove bias, ask questions, and get clarification. Each patient will have a different experience, and one negative interaction can impact how they interact with healthcare providers in the future. Don't let your experience create a barrier for someone who desires to better their situation.
Shaunte: Listen – I think if a person comes in complaining about something, we need to take the time to hear what the patient is saying. There most likely is validity in their complaint. Also, access to quality care – we need to better the access quality care for people of color. It is evident even within the COVID crisis.
Erika: We must first acknowledge differences in health outcomes for African American and minority communities. Creating programs in underserved communities that provide education, tools, and resources will help people live healthier lives through nutrition, physical, and emotional awareness.
Dr. Watkins: First, the African-American community must take a proactive role in their health and wellbeing, find a primary care provider, and make regular visits. Second, there needs to be more representation by African-American professionals in health care leadership positions.
Kroger Health also asked these associates to write an entry for Black History Month 2022. The following are their answers to the question.
Q: What event in African American History has made the most impact on your or left a lasting impression?
Kristopher: The life and legacy of Muhammad Ali has made a lasting impression on me. He was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, like me. His flare, charisma, and athletic prowess are legendary. But his pride in his community, standing up for his principles, and his courage in the face of adversity is a source of inspiration and admiration. I take to heart one of his quotes, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."
Jourdan: An event that had made a lasting impression on me was Dr. Ruth J. Simmons' Presidential Inauguration when she became the 8th President and first female to lead Prairie View A&M University, a Historically Black University located in Prairie View, TX. To see a woman from Houston's historic 5th Ward become the leader of a university whose grounds were once the Alta Vista Slave plantation was incredible. Seeing how her community rallied around her at that moment was one that I will never forget.
Shaunte: I learned about Marian Anderson in elementary school. She was the first Black women Opera singer. I studied classical art in school because of her and because she paved the road for black artists.
Erika: 2 moments have made a lasting impression, not only on me but the entire nation. The election of President Barack Obama and Vice-President Kamala Harris. Representation matters. For the African American community, seeing people who look, act, and experience life like them makes them feel included in society. It reinforces positive views of themselves and what they can achieve in society.
Dr. Watkins: Learning about The Voting Rights Act of 1965 while in middle school. This act was only signed four years before I was born. I took voting for granted, but this was something not afforded to my parents before 1965. Also, seeing Barack Obama become the first Black President of the United States made a big impression.
Thank you to our five participating associates for sharing:
Shaunte Russel, Associate Communications and Engagement Manager
Jourdan Scruggs, Associate Communications & Engagement Manager
Erika Wilson, Pharmacist
Kristopher Vaughn, Pharmacy Manager
Dr. Mark Watkins, Chief Medical Officer.