Facilitators and Challenges to Health Promotion in Black and Latino Churches
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Facilitators and Challenges to Health Promotion in Black and Latino Churches Annette E. Maxwell 1,2 Aziza Lucas-Wright 3
&
Claudia Vargas 3 & Rhonda Santifer 3 & L. Cindy Chang 1,2 & Catherine M. Crespi 1,2 &
Received: 30 September 2020 / Revised: 10 November 2020 / Accepted: 12 November 2020 # W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute 2020
Abstract Background Churches are important assets for the African American and Latino communities. They can play a critical role in health promotion, especially in areas that are under-resourced and in which residents have limited access to health care. A better understanding of health promotion in churches is needed to support and maintain church collaborations and health initiatives that are integrated, data-driven, and culturally appropriate. The purpose of this study is to identify churches’ facilitators and challenges to health promotion and to contrast and compare Black and Latino churches of different sizes (< 200 members versus > 200 members). Methods We interviewed leaders of 100 Black and 42 Latino churches in South Los Angeles to assess their history of wellness activities, resources, facilitators, and challenges to conduct health promotion activities. Results Eighty-three percent of African American and 86% of Latino church leaders reported at least one health activity in the last 12 months. Black and Latino churches of different sizes have similar interests in implementing specific health promotion strategies and face similar challenges. However, we found significant differences in the composition of their congregations, number of paid staff, and the proportions of churches that have a health or wellness ministry and that implement specific wellness strategies. Fifty-seven percent of African American and 43% of Latino church leaders stated that they needed both financial support and professional expertise for health promotion. Discussion Our findings highlight the importance of conducting a readiness assessment for identifying intervention content and strategies that fit the intervention context of a church. Keywords Black and Latino churches . Readiness assessment . Survey of senior pastors . Wellness promotion . Health promotion
Background
* Annette E. Maxwell [email protected] 1
University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health & Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, 650 Charles Young Dr. South, A2-125 CHS, Box 956900, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6900, USA
2
UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity, 650 Charles Young Dr. South, A2-125 CHS, Box 956900, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6900, USA
3
Division of Cancer Research and Training, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Churches are important institutions in the Black and Latino communities. After the Civil War, a large number of Black churches were established in the South that served as primary institutions for social cohesion in the African American community. Since that time, many Black churches have supported leadership development, schools, civic engag
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