Urban Church, Community, and Academic Partners Impact Youth Health and Endurance

Background: Urban African American youth are especially prone to sedentary lifestyles and underexposed to health information and practices. African American churches may be effective locations for promoting youth health. Purpose: An African American church within a medically underserved area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin partnered with a technical college, a medical school, and a running club to improve the endurance and health knowledge of their youth. Methods: All partners committed to principles of fairness, openness, and communication. They jointly developed curricula and assessment instruments. Adult Health Advocates (HA, n=7) received a six-week (12-hours total) training program on promoting youth health. Youth (n=22), nominated by their pastor and parents, participated in a 10-week program (15-hours) featuring progressive run/walk and health-focused didactic sessions (e.g., nutrition, spirituality/health connection, health career awareness). Training facilitators were health professionals and service-learning students. The Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) instrument assessed cardiorespiratory endurance during activity. Incentives rewarded youth participation in leisure-time physical activity. Outcomes: HA were highly engaged in training (e.g., attendance >95%) and training satisfaction. Youth participation was varied (e.g., 14 of 22 youth attended >70% of sessions), with very high satisfaction ratings. Post-program improvements in knowledge and skills were significantly higher for HA and youth. Measures of youth RPE showed steadily improving cardiorespiratory endurance. Conclusions: This partnership resulted in improved youth health outcomes. Partner principles (e.g., open communication, shared resources) were important to project successes, as was youth recognition and the alignment of project activities with partner strengths. Limitations include unknown levels of sustained endurance and skill.