The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #41725

Mark J. DeHaven, PhD¹, Jim Walton, DO², and Jarett Berry, MS4¹. (1) Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 6263 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9067, 214-648-1399, mark.dehaven@UTSouthwestern.edu, (2) Church Health Ministries, 801 North Peak Street, Dallas, TX 75246

Research indicates that faith-based health programs can: reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and disease symptoms; and increase mammography, breast self-examination, and knowledge of disease. However, although these programs often provide care for the uninsured and others at-risk, their contribution is rarely considered in discussions about improving access to care for these populations. Faith-based health programs are generally considered part of a "nonsystem" of charity care. However, if the programs provide predictable access to specific types of care for specific individuals, they may be more accurately an unmeasured "system" of care producing predictable public health benefits. An innovative model is presented that describes health-care access in most communities. The model includes three "active" funding sources - employer-based insurance, Medicaid/Medicare, and local/other public funding, and one "passive" source - the free care delivered through faith-based programs and free clinics. The model contends that patients receiving care through the respective sources have distinct demographic characteristics, access and utilization patterns, and associated health outcomes. According to the model, therefore, in many communities faith-based clinics actually may be a valuable but unrecognized component of the community-based health-care system. The model is tested using data from two projects in Dallas, Texas: Central Dallas Ministries - a Christian Community Health Fellowship Best Practices Program, and Project Access - a faith-health program for the uninsured. The model and findings can be used by other faith-based programs to document their program's contribution to their local "system" of community-based care.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to

• Describe and discuss the role and contribution of faith-based health programs to the system of health-care in a community.
• Understand the procedure for determining the contribution of faith-based health programs to a community's health.
• Apply a model demonstrating the value of faith-health programs and determine the value of specific faith-health programs in their own community.

Keywords: Community-Based Health Care, Faith Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.