 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Elaine G. Williams, PhD, Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, 1731 East 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90056, 310 668-4965, eliwillia@cdrewu.edu
The African American Task Force, an advisory group to the California Nutrition Network, California Department of Health Services, launched the African American Faith Community Outreach Initiative in 1998 with the objective of reaching low income African American families and communities with nutrition and physical activity promotion programs. Eleven churches and two support organizations were funded to develop and conduct nutrition and physical activity promotion programs. A comprehensive evaluation plan was developed utilizing key informant interviews, nutrition and physical activity serial surveys, festival surveys and site visits. The evaluation was designed to test the following theoretical assumptions. The faith channel is: 1) an effective medium for delivering nutrition and physical activity promotion programs; 2) effective in bringing about knowledge and attitude changes as well as improved motivation to adopt and sustain healthy dietary habits; and 3) able to stimulate changes at the individual, community and institutional levels of influence. Analysis of the data revealed “best practices” for implementation of community based health promotion programs. Survey findings have produced detailed information on the dietary practices and activity patterns of participants and non-participants in the faith based programs. Findings demonstrate an improvement in the knowledge of recommended intakes and an increased likelihood of eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables by participants in the churches. Most of the participants were involved in physical activity between one and three times a week with walking being most frequently reported. More than 70% of the respondents were in the preparation stage of change. Motivators and barriers were described.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Community Research, 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.