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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Gloria R. Brown, MPA and Estella A. West, MPH. University of California Cooperative Extension Service, 625 Miramontes Street, Suite 200, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Historically, the black church has been one of the best avenues to disseminate information in the African American community. It is also an ideal setting to mobilize people to address specific health concerns affecting African Americans. Studies have shown that the health status of African Americans is of great concern. More than 50 million Americans have high blood pressure, but the rate is much higher in blacks. Diabetes is currently the fourth-leading cause of death by disease among African Americans and is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and amputation. Black men are nearly twice as likely to die from cancer as the general population and 11/2 times as likely as white men to die from cancer and cardiovascular disease. This session will demonstrate a successful model used by the San Mateo County Mills-Peninsula Health Center African American Community Health Advisory Committee to reach the faith community through church liaisons. Church is one important vehicle to educate people. As stated by one pastor, "We're going to church and the surrounding community to save lives."
Learning Objectives: At the end of the workshop, participants will be provided with a step-by-step model for organizing and implementing a faith-based health promotion program which will include
Keywords: African American, 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.