Spiritually Influenced Health: Results of a Health Promotion Initiative in Houses of Worship

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing Volume 6 Issue 1 Fall Article 5 October 2021 Spiritually Influenced Health: Results of a Health Promotion Initiative in Houses of Worship Crystal C. Shannon Indiana University Northwest Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijfcn Part of the Other Nursing Commons Recommended Citation Shannon, Crystal C. (2021) "Spiritually Influenced Health: Results of a Health Promotion Initiative in Houses of Worship," International Journal of Faith Community Nursing: Vol. 6 : Iss. 1 , Article 5. Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijfcn/vol6/iss1/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Journal of Faith Community Nursing by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact . Shannon: Spiritually Influenced Health Introduction Integration of faith-based approaches to health are commonly referenced in healthcare regimens. However, the actual process occurs less frequently than many health providers might admit, thus reducing the overall effectiveness of care delivery (Cone & Giske, 2017). Individuals and families in minority communities, African Americans, for example, often seek health related answers from spiritual and faith-based sources (Goode, 2018). In fact, some minority populations are often more likely to incorporate spirituality, religion, and faith into every day health practices than their White counterparts (Pew Research Center, 2021). Although faith-based organizations within these communities provide a cultural, spiritual and social support system to the populations, they may not effectively provide for the health needs of the congregant. Existing Literature The influence of faith is ever present in many minority neighborhoods, but the rates of conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, and respiratory disease remain higher for these groups than the national average (National Center for Health Statistics, 2021). The integration of health promotion and prevention activities provides an opportunity for health providers to partner with faith and spiritual leaders to address major determinants for health and potentially reduce risk factors (Callaghan, 2015). The collaboration between health professionals and faith-based organizations (FBOs) with the goal of improving community health, is not new and is frequently employed by a variety of health care professionals (Shillam et al., 2012; Zahnd et al., 2018; Pappas-Rogich, 2012; Callaghan, 2015). However, given the continued concerns about the health of at-risk communities, additional calls for intervention and action remain. Published by TopSCHOLAR®, 2021 45 International Journal of Faith Community Nursing, Vol. 6, Iss. 1 [2021], Art. 5 Many communities fail to have consistent access to preventative care, thus impacting the health outcomes of the congregant. Additionally, healthcare professionals recognize that available care providers are often culturally different than the population served (Goode & Landefeld, 2018). This potentially creates a disparity in health support and treatment. Community-based collaborations performed with FBOs provide opportunities for targeted partnerships with trusted entities (Timmons, 2015). Horton et al. (2014) acknowledged the benefit of such partnerships by specifically exploring the efforts of a university team and FBO to address the health benefits of increasing physical activity and promotion of nutritionally valuable meals. The authors acknowledge that in spite of a challenge of limited trust, the collaboration demonstrated improved health as evidenced by weight and blood pressure reductions and increases in nutritional intake for the congregant. Chase- Ziolek (2015) acknowledged the positive impact of health delivery within a faith-based setting and suggested the church as a routine site for delivery of health services. Furthermore, all collaborations do not require the direct involvement of traditional healthcare providers when delivering health information and several studies demonstrate equally effective health outcomes with the use of lay health educators and subject matter experts (SMEs) (Tetty et al., 2016; Johnston et al., 2017; Sharpe et al., 2018). Purpose Despite existing examples of faith and healthcare collaborations, research continues to demonstrate the need for additional measures to improve health education. This paper describes the results of a health promotion initiative with four faith organizations, explores the impact of educational sessions on health habits of the FBO participants, and discusses lessons learned. Future opportunities for collaboration between nurses and FBOs are discussed. https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijfcn/vol6/iss1/5 46 Shannon: Spiritually Influenced Health Methodology The Health Promotion and Education Program A health promotion initiative was developed with undergraduate nursing students and course faculty in connection with a service-learning health promotion class. Students and faculty collaborated with regional faith organizations between fall 2015 and fall 2018. IRB approval was received from the involved university. The initiative was designed with members of locally based faith organizations to explore important concepts related to health literacy, navigation of the healthcare system, nutrition, and heart health. Potential topics were identified based on current healthcare data on morbidity and mortality rates, gender, age, and ethnicity applicable to the selected area. Setting and Sample The Midwestern region of focus exhibits higher than national average rates of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and respiratory conditions and is ranked as one of the least healthy counties in the state (National Center for Health Statistics, 2021; County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, 2021). Additionally, the area is widely diverse in terms of racial, ethnic, faith, and socio-economic status. The county has a total of 485,493 residents of which 53.8% are White and 46.2% are minorities (African American, Hispanic, Asian,). The median household income is $56,128 (US Census Bureau, 2019). All FBOs within the county (N=516) were contacted by nursing student program assistants via phone for possible participation in the health sessions. Churches were identified from local resources such as yellow pages, internet databases and windshield surveys. A total of 30 FBOs (6% of the faith group database) indicated they were interested in health education Published by TopSCHOLAR®, 2021 47 International Journal of Faith Community Nursing, Vol. 6, Iss. 1 [2021], Art. 5 sessions. A convenience sample of 10 FBOs from the interested group were contacted via mail to determine willingness to participate in the health education sessions. A total of four churches (n) responded, confirmed interest in participating and were included in the health educa (...truncated)