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Program prioritization to control chronic diseases in African-American faith-based communities
Cathrine Hoyo1, Laverne Reid, John Hatch
1Duke University Medical Center, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA. hoyo0001@mc.duke.edu
Journal of the National Medical Association
|April 23, 2004
Summary
African-American congregations can effectively promote health when leaders receive training in needs assessment and intervention planning. This empowers them to address community health concerns like diabetes, especially in larger congregations.
Area of Science:
- Community Health
- Public Health Interventions
- Health Disparities
Background:
- African-American congregations frequently receive requests for health promotion activities.
- Many congregations lack the necessary resources and skills to effectively participate in health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of providing congregation leaders with skills in needs assessment, planning, and implementing health interventions.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of congregation-based health promotion strategies.
Main Methods:
- 21 congregational leaders in South East Raleigh, NC, received training in needs assessment and intervention planning.
- Follow-up occurred after approximately four years, with 14 of the original congregations recontacted.
Main Results:
- Diabetes shifted from the ninth to the most urgent health concern identified by leaders.
- Most congregations utilized available resources for diabetes prevention.
- Larger congregations demonstrated a greater likelihood of utilizing available resources compared to smaller ones.
Conclusions:
- Larger African-American congregations serve as effective channels for health promotion.
- Equipping leaders with needs assessment skills is crucial for selecting beneficial health programs.
- Strategies are needed to enhance the participation of leaders from smaller congregations.