Annette E Maxwell1,2, Claudia Vargas3, Rhonda Santifer3, L Cindy Chang4,5, Catherine M Crespi4,5, Aziza Lucas-Wright3. 1. University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health & Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, 650 Charles Young Dr. South, A2-125 CHS, Box 956900, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6900, USA. amaxwell@ucla.edu. 2. UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity, 650 Charles Young Dr. South, A2-125 CHS, Box 956900, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6900, USA. amaxwell@ucla.edu. 3. Division of Cancer Research and Training, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 4. University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health & Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, 650 Charles Young Dr. South, A2-125 CHS, Box 956900, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6900, USA. 5. UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity, 650 Charles Young Dr. South, A2-125 CHS, Box 956900, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6900, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Churches are important assets for the African American and Latino communities. They can play a critical role in health promotion, especially in areas that are under-resourced and in which residents have limited access to health care. A better understanding of health promotion in churches is needed to support and maintain church collaborations and health initiatives that are integrated, data-driven, and culturally appropriate. The purpose of this study is to identify churches' facilitators and challenges to health promotion and to contrast and compare Black and Latino churches of different sizes (< 200 members versus > 200 members). METHODS: We interviewed leaders of 100 Black and 42 Latino churches in South Los Angeles to assess their history of wellness activities, resources, facilitators, and challenges to conduct health promotion activities. RESULTS: Eighty-three percent of African American and 86% of Latino church leaders reported at least one health activity in the last 12 months. Black and Latino churches of different sizes have similar interests in implementing specific health promotion strategies and face similar challenges. However, we found significant differences in the composition of their congregations, number of paid staff, and the proportions of churches that have a health or wellness ministry and that implement specific wellness strategies. Fifty-seven percent of African American and 43% of Latino church leaders stated that they needed both financial support and professional expertise for health promotion. DISCUSSION: Our findings highlight the importance of conducting a readiness assessment for identifying intervention content and strategies that fit the intervention context of a church.
BACKGROUND: Churches are important assets for the African American and Latino communities. They can play a critical role in health promotion, especially in areas that are under-resourced and in which residents have limited access to health care. A better understanding of health promotion in churches is needed to support and maintain church collaborations and health initiatives that are integrated, data-driven, and culturally appropriate. The purpose of this study is to identify churches' facilitators and challenges to health promotion and to contrast and compare Black and Latino churches of different sizes (< 200 members versus > 200 members). METHODS: We interviewed leaders of 100 Black and 42 Latino churches in South Los Angeles to assess their history of wellness activities, resources, facilitators, and challenges to conduct health promotion activities. RESULTS: Eighty-three percent of African American and 86% of Latino church leaders reported at least one health activity in the last 12 months. Black and Latino churches of different sizes have similar interests in implementing specific health promotion strategies and face similar challenges. However, we found significant differences in the composition of their congregations, number of paid staff, and the proportions of churches that have a health or wellness ministry and that implement specific wellness strategies. Fifty-seven percent of African American and 43% of Latino church leaders stated that they needed both financial support and professional expertise for health promotion. DISCUSSION: Our findings highlight the importance of conducting a readiness assessment for identifying intervention content and strategies that fit the intervention context of a church.
Authors: D T Davis; A Bustamante; C P Brown; G Wolde-Tsadik; E W Savage; X Cheng; L Howland Journal: Public Health Rep Date: 1994 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.792
Authors: Annette E Maxwell; Roshan Bastani; Beth A Glenn; Victoria M Taylor; Tung T Nguyen; Susan L Stewart; Nancy J Burke; Moon S Chen Journal: Prev Chronic Dis Date: 2014-05-01 Impact factor: 2.830