176978 Beyond the borders of disparity: Partnership of faith groups and health agencies in African American communities

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

McKinley Kemp , Partners in Care: Black Infant Health Program, Palmdale, CA
Gwen Cole , Partners in Care: Black Infant Health Program, Palmdale, CA
Laurel Beyrer , Clinical and Community Health Programs, California Family Health Council, Inc., Los Angeles, CA
Claudine Offer, MPH , Clinical and Community Health Programs Division, California Family Health Council, Berkeley, CA
Annette Amey, MS, PhD , Clinical and Community Health Programs Division, California Family Health Council, Berkeley, CA
Maryjane Puffer, BSN, MPA , Clinical and Community Health Programs Division, California Family Health Council, Los Angeles, CA
Background: The African American population in Antelope Valley, California struggles with significant health disparities related to infant and maternal health and has the second highest rate of unmet need for family planning services in the state. In response, the Faith Based Coalition (FBC) and the Antelope Valley Black Infant Health program (AV-BIH) have developed an effective partnership that strives to eliminate disproportionate rates of infant mortality and low birth weights and to improve other health status related indicators.

Methods: The March of Dimes and the California Family Health Council provide funding to the Black Infant Health program to promote the expansion and recruitment of African American Churches within the FBC. The FBC serves as an extensive network through which the Black Infant Health program is implemented. Strategies include a comprehensive media and marketing campaign promoting healthy pregnancies, referrals to health and social support services, and family planning health education.

Results: The FBC network of churches enabled the program to reach populations that struggle with barriers to healthcare access including cost or lack of insurance, transportation, lack of childcare, distrust of medical offices, and concern with other survival priorities.

Conclusions: The partnership between the faith based community and health related agencies was a core element in the success of this program. Creating and strengthening a network of faith based churches allows for more effective dissemination of health related messages among difficult to reach populations. Evaluation results continue to inform future directions for the FBC and the Black Infant Health Program.

Learning Objectives:
1.Identify three health disparities that exist in the African American communities in Antelope Valley, California. 2.Describe the partnership and strategies of the Faith Based Coalition and the Antelope Valley Black Infant Health Program. 3.List two benefits of the network strategy of the Faith Based Coalition.

Keywords: Family Planning, Faith Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Program Manager for Faith Based programs. Years of public health esxperience.
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.