Faith-Based Approaches for Addressing Trust in Vulnerable Populations

The rate of flu vaccination among low-income African American communities is low.  Consequently, the rate of flu-related morbidity and mortality are higher than the general population.  The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation (The Center) in Chicago has been one of 10 national sites partnering with ASTHO and the Interfaith Health Program to reach these populations through faith-based approaches. Using a practice-based discovery process and a modified Delphi technique to synthesize distinctive practices from across the 10 sites, a Model Practices Toolkit was developed that delineates essential practices associated with faith-based and community organizations that have successfully reached vulnerable populations with influenza vaccination and education.  Practices around trust were identified as core to effective engagement.

 In Chicago, The Center focused on understanding how faith communities mediate trust for their members and the larger community.  Public health often engages faith leaders as trusted messengers without understanding how faith leaders understand their own role. The Center completed a qualitative, mixed method study to increase understanding of 1) the self-perceived role of faith leaders in the promotion of positive health behaviors such as flu vaccination; 2) their perception of the challenges to fulfilling theirself-perceived role; and 3) their beliefs regarding ways that health care institutions could partner to support the fulfillment of their perceived role(s).  In addition, The Center worked with local health departments to expand the reach of existing services and partnerships, including building a database and map of congregations that have the capacity to hold flu clinics.