175516 Tapping into the Potential of Pacific Islander Faith Organizations

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Jonathan Lepule , Union of Pan Asian Communities, San Diego, CA
Roxanna Bautista, MPH, CHES , Chronic Diseases Program, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, San Francisco, CA
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) has worked with Pacific Islander health advocates to address tobacco prevention and control activities for 16 years. In the last five years, APIAHF's California-based tobacco education program worked on a smoke-free Pacific Islander faith-based organizations advocacy campaign. By collaborating with Pacific Islander community-based and faith-based advocates, APIAHF was able to protect the faith-based communities at 12 Samoan churches in Southern California. Relationship building and provision of educational and financial resources were crucial in involving these faith leaders and organizations in health education and advocacy campaigns. As a result of the campaign, we were able to build relationships and trust with the churches, increase the number of health advocates, reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, and helped to develop leadership skills of the Pacific Islander campaign consultants involved in the project. In addition, resources specific to Pacific Islander communities were developed and disseminated to faith organizations and health organizations in the U.S. Associated Pacific Island Nations and to the states with higher populations of Pacific Islander communities.

Learning Objectives:
Discuss why engaging faith organizations in health education and advocacy is important. Identify tips for working with Pacific Islander faith organizations. Develop a plan to involve Pacific Islander faith organizations in your community health programs.

Keywords: Health Education Strategies, Faith Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the consultant that participated in working with Pacific Islander faith communities on this health campaign.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.