The UCA Health Education FaithBased Initiative

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The UCA Health Education Faith-Based Initiative

• Felicia Dionne Taylor, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor of Health Sciences
• University of Central Arkansas, Conway
• Texas Public Health Association
• Irving, TX
• Thursday, September 29, 2005

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Project Origination

• An effort to impact the disproportionate effects
  of morbidity and mortality in minority
  populations
• Collaboration between a faculty researcher and
  faith-based entities to address health needs in
  Black church populations

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Project Origination

• Prototype project Purpose
• To enhance development of a larger expanded
  health education faith-based initiative.
• Objectives of the project.
• Objective 1. Build a partnership between an
  academic
• institution and
  faith-based entities.
• Objective 2. Collect baseline needs assessment
  data
• through pastoral
  leadership and church
• congregational focus
  groups.
• Objective 3. Plan and develop a prototype
  of small
• health on
  participatory groups.

4
Project Origination

• Funded by the UCA Foundation
• Ultimately will target three churches in Faulkner
  and Pulaski Counties, Arkansas.
• Data collection methods through
• Pastoral surveys
• Congregational focus groups.
• Data will be utilized to develop future small
  health education participatory groups within the
  churches

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Literature Review

• The leading causes of death and disability are
  dramatically higher among racial and ethnic
  minority populations in the US.
• At birth, the average life expectancy for Black
  Americans is 71.8 years, compared to 77.4 years
  for whites.
• Black Americans in Arkansas have alarming rates
  of death and disability due to heart diseases and
  diabetes.
• 2.6 million blacks have diabetes, and are twice
  as likely to have compared to white counterparts
  of similar age.

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Obesity in the African American Community

• Obesity is more common among Black women than
  among white women
• Among Black Americans, the proportion of women
  who are obese is 80 percent higher than the
  proportion of men who are obese.

• (Sources NIDDK, 2004 CDCP, 2000 NCHS, 2003).

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Blacks with Diabetes

• More likely to develop diabetes complications and
  experience greater disability from the
  complications.
• In 1999, the Black death rate due to diabetes was
  more than twice that for whites.
• 2.6 million blacks have diabetes, and are
  twice as likely to have diabetes compared to
  white counterparts of similar age.

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The Black Church

• Defined as a predominantly Black congregation
  with a Black senior minister.
• Primary institutional foundations of the black
  community and reaches a wide dynamic of people
• Ability for access to a diverse group of people
• Ideal venue for targeting health programs
• Spiritual and health connections are successful
  components.

(Rubin, Billingsly, Caldwell Howard, 1994
Lasater, Wells, Carleton, Elder, 1986).
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Pastoral Survey Results

• 54 church surveys mailed-2 versions
• 12 respondents
• Churches selected from word of mouth,
  associations, publications
• Initial letter and brochure
• Questionnaire

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Pastoral Questionnaire Sample Questions

• What, in your opinion, are the health issues
  faced by your congregation?
• Overweight, Stroke, Mental or Emotional issues
  (depression)
• High Cholesterol, Diabetes (sugar), Heart Attack
  
• Stress, Cancer, HIV/STDs
• Sedentary lifestyle (no physical activity)
• nutrition

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Church Profiles

• Age of pastor
• Education of pastor
• Willingness to participate
• Designated health ministry team

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Church Profiles Church 1

• Pulaski County
• Pastor, 43, Bachelors
• Membership-120,
• Largest age categories-60(25), 54-60(-22)
  47-53(-21)
• Most employed 75,000, college educated

• Perceived Health issues
• Overweight, stroke, mental, high cholesterol,
  diabetes, stress, cancer, sedentary, nutrition,
  dental, vision, smoking, alcohol

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Church 1

• Beneficial programs to church
• Health fair, screenings, walk, aerobics,
  educational seminar, sermon series, health
  ministry team

• Technology-computer, email, Internet

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Church 2

• Faulkner County
• Pastor 41, Masters
• Membership 300
• Largest age categories 18-25 (60), 54-60 (35),
  33-39, 40-46 (30)

• Most employed
• Highest income 75,000 or more, most college
  degree

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Church 2

• Perceived health issues overweight, stroke, high
  cholesterol, diabetes, heart attack, cancer,
  sedentary, nutrition, dental, smoking

• Beneficial to church
• Health fair, screenings, exercise, sermon series,
  health ministry team
• Technology-computer, Internet, email

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Church Profile 3

• Crittenden County
• Pastor, 33, Bachelors
• Membership 100
• Largest categories 33-39, 47-53 (20 each)
• Most employed, Less than 10, Most hs grad

• Health issues
• Overweight, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress,
  sedentary, nutrition, vision
• Beneficial to church
• Health fair, screenings, walk, exercise,
  educational seminar, sermon series

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Church 4

• Jefferson County
• Pastor, 72, some college
• Membership 225, 18-25 largest, 2nd-40-46, 26-32
  (25)
• Most employed, homemaker, student 35-50,000

• Health issues
• Overweight, Stroke, mental, high cholesterol,
  diabetes, heart attack, stress, cancer,
  sedentary, nutrition, dental, vision, smoking,
  alcohol

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Church 4

• Beneficial to church
• Health fair, screenings, educational seminar

• Technology
• Computer, copy machine

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Focus Group 1 Preliminary Results

• Held at the church with the pastors blessing
• 2 hour time period (10a-12n), Saturday
  scheduling-Asked the advice of the pastor
• Participant Demographics
• 9 total church participants-1 facilitator (Ms.
  Wilborn) and notetaker (Dr. Taylor)
• 3 men, 6 women
• Mean Age 54 (69/32)

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Focus Group

• Income (1)Less than 75 (3) Less than 25
• Education 5/grad/prof, 1 bachelor, 1 some
  college
• Married 4, 1 never, 2 single
• Health insurance all
• Health overall good (2) very good (3) excellent
  (1), fair (1)

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Focus Group

• Exercise in last 7 days 1(2), 3(1), 4 (1), 5 (2)
  
• Healthy spirit aids in a health body
• Need to assess church resources, then determine
  needs for church and community at large
• Health fair, screenings, nutrition, activity
  class, sermon (2)

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Conclusion

• Next steps
• ?s
• Thank you for your attention!