The Heads Up Alabama Project

Critical Health Information:  The aPAF Foundation’s public education campaign, titled “Heads Up Alabama! Psychology Promotes Healthy Living,” addresses the critical role played by psychological components (behavior and emotions) in overall health and wellness.

The project, modeled after Heads Up Kentucky, is a response to a challenge by the US Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) to market health education in creative ways, and focuses on the disorders that contribute most to the looming health care crisis in this country.
From current research, we already know:

• Chronic illnesses which have strong behavioral and emotional components (i.e. heart disease, cancer, and diabetes) will account for two-thirds of all deaths this year, with millions more new cases diagnosed annually.
• Along with diet and exercise, psychological components, such as depression and stress, are important factors in the incidence and severity of chronic illnesses.
• Unchecked stress is implicated in the development of numerous diseases
• Utilization of basic stress management techniques can have long-term beneficial health results. 
• Individuals with chronic illness are more vulnerable to the development of depression.  With appropriate diagnosis and treatment of depression in patients with illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, these individuals oftentimes have better survival outcomes, along with improved medical status, reduced pain and disability, increased cooperation with treatment recommendations
• Raising community awareness of the behavioral and emotional factors in health can help individuals choose healthier lifestyles, seek effective treatment and reduce inappropriate utilization of limited health resources.

Appealing Public Art:  “Heads Up Alabama” is an effort to engage the public in discovery of this information through accessible public art. 

• Twenty regional artists were chosen in May, 2010, through a juried competition to create art from a basic fiberglass head that is approximately three-feet tall. 
• These artistic heads will be mounted atop a pedestal, creating an eye-catching and impressive piece over six feet in height. 
• Attached to the pedestals will be information on a variety of health topics, written in simple language. 
• The topics include psychological aspects of obesity and weight control; psychological components in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases (multiple sub-topics); stress and stress management; psychological benefits of exercise; the role of sleep in overall health; health benefits of forgiveness, etc.  
• The Kickoff Event, where artists, the Heads, and sponsors was at the Birmingham Public Library, downtown location, July 22, 2010.  After three weeks at the library, the Heads travelled around the state, to the Aldridge Botanical Gardens in Hoover, and then on to Huntsville, Gadsden, Mobile, Tuscaloosa and again to Birmingham.

 If you are interested in brochures on the health education topics. please contact headsupalabama@gmail.com.  Also available is the school curriculum, with booklists, guided study and suggested discussion modules for elementary children.