Faith: a project in building community capacity

American Journal of Health Studies, Spring-Summer, 2003 by Georgia N.L. Johnston, Beatriz Benitez

Abstract: This planning grant was a unique opportunity to learn how to effectively work with faith communities and increase their capacity for further community development. Faith communities were identified and selected for participation based on their location and characteristics of their populations. Committees were formed, developed a needs assessment tool, and then assessed their congregations to identify health interests or concerns. Upon analysis, the committees determined projects for implementation. Capacity building occurred through participation in the program and the various training sessions as well as surveying congregations, writing grant proposals, determining assets, collaborations, and development of projects. This program focused on systematic change and building capacity, competence and critical awareness. These components provide more impact on health than individual behavior change as they increase skills and resources of groups.

**********

There goals of Healthy People 2010 (H.P. 2010) are: improved quality of years of life and decreasing health disparities. Decreasing health disparities is long term and challenging, specifically because these disparities are environmental as well as individual. To achieve this goal, varied and numerous programs must be developed, implemented, and evaluated. Diverse partners in health promotion are considered and diverse strategies are attempted, with the aim to reduce these disparities and increase quality years of life.

Faith communities are natural partners for health education. Most function with well being of the individual at their core, and the volunteerism and good will that exist in many faith communities make them viable partners for community health programs. Became many faith communities function also as social centers (Ransdell, 1996), they have the ability to impact large groups of individuals and their families. Additionally, the trust and security that many feel in faith communities increases the credibility of programs offered and the likelihood of participation.

Utilizing faith communities for health education is neither new nor innovative. In fact, many faith communities have implemented their own health education programs to meet the needs of their congregants (Hatch, Moss, Saran, Presley-Cantrell & Mallory, 1993; Hatch & Derthick, 1992) and many specific health programs have been implemented in faith communities (Fox, Stein, Gonzalez, Farrenkope, & Dellinger, 1998; Campbell, et al., 1998; Ransdell, 1996).

Still, health disparities exist and the gap continues to widen. Lives are cut short by chronic diseases that are largely preventable. Increased efforts for education, prevention, early screening and detection are necessary if we are to reach the H.P. 2010 goals. Utilizing faith communities for these efforts is imperative.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

It is widely recognized that including the target population in the planning, implementing, and evaluation of health programs has increased their effectiveness and perhaps even their success. Using volunteers from the population, designing programs based on the community's needs and interests, and implementing culturally relevant programs have all become methods for increasing participants' awareness and behavior change. Community programs that "start where the people are" in identifying needs and discovering solutions are reported to be more successful than those that are preplanned. Further work has prescribed the use of strength-based assessments and problem identification based on community input (Minkler, 1989; Wallerstein, 1992; Braithwaite et al., 1994; Steckler, 1993; Steuart, 1993; Preston, Baranowski & Higginbotham, 1988; Thompson & Kinney, 1990; Paradis, et al 1995).

Because of the strong support for filling community health needs, churches have been the focus for many health education programs (Wiisst & Flack, 1990). Faith based programs appear to be more successful in reaching marginalized and underserved people because of the perception of trust and security that many find in faith organizations (Davis, et al., 1990). Churches are credible and in many neighborhoods are the oldest established institutions. They offer hope to many in areas that are pervaded by hopelessness, doubt, and materialism (Freudenberg, N., 2000). Churches have space and volunteers and, as helping organizations, reach large numbers of individuals (Ransdell, L. & Rehling, S., 1996). Churches and other religious organizations represent a potentially productive avenue into American racial and ethnic minority communities. They function as social centers and educational facilities, as well as health care resource centers (Sutherland, M., Hale, C.D., & Harris, G.J., 1995; Kong, B.W., 1997; Turner, L.W., Sutherland, M., Harris, G.J., & Barber, M., 1995; Wiist & Flack, 1990).

As with all health education programs implemented in an organization, a program champion is required. Pastoral support is necessary in faith-based programs for sustainability (Haber, D., 1984; Turner, L.W., Sutherland, M., Harris, G.J., Barber, M., 1995).