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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
 APHA 2005
 
4111.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Table 10

Abstract #117431

Keep the faith: Lessons learned from health ministries in faith-based institutions

Elder Christopher Sylvain, PD, Health Ministry, Greater Saint Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church, 1515 Poydras, Suite 1020, New Orleans, LA 70112, 504.680.2810, sylvainpd@aol.com and Christi Stewart, MPH, Health Research Analyst, REACH 2010: At the Heart of New Orleans, 1515 Poydras St., Suite 1020, New Orleans, LA 70112.

REACH 2010: @ the Heart of New Orleans is a faith-based research intervention demonstration project that raises awareness, changes attitudes, and promotes heart healthy behavior among African American church women and their families with cardiovascular disease risk factors. Forty African American churches were recruited, enrolled, and randomized in a quasi-experimental research design to deliver interventions to over 1200 African American women in the enrolled churches. Each church has an annual health event which includes a Community Health Assessment Program Survey (CHAPS), used to collect baseline and annual follow-up data on participants. All three groups, Observation, Intervention I, and Intervention II, receive 6-session Health Education and Empowerment classes, and Walking for Wellness Programs. Intervention groups I and II include a Referral component to facilitate progress toward achieving personal goals reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors and navigating healthcare delivery systems. Intervention II includes Church-Based Women Self-Help groups. All cardiovascular disease health education and intervention activities occur at church sites. Unique to REACH 2010 is the establishment of First Ladies Advisory Health Council (FLHAC) as change agents promoting congregational wellness, and participants' follow-up and retention in the study. FLHAC women advocate for women's health and facilitate REACH activities in their congregations. Lessons learned from training lay community health workers, implementing health programs, negotiating schedules, and evaluating outcomes will be included.

Learning Objectives:

  • 1. Describe lessons learned from leaders of a coalition-driven congregational wellness initiative targeting cardiovascular risk reduction in 40 churches across 10 denominations.
  • 2. Examine roles of REACH 2010