Faith Wellness Collaboration: A Community-Based Approach to Address Type II Diabetes Disparities in an African-American Community

Abstract

Community-based participatory action research was utilized to form a collaboration that developed a Health Ministry program in four Northeastern urban Black Churches, in which they designed and implemented a culturally competent Type II Diabetes self management education program. Minister sponsorship and a program coordinator synchronized the four Health Ministries' development and diabetes program planning. A case study design, and participant observations and a focus group methodology were used to explore the faith-based community residents' collaboration development, and design and implementation of the health promotion program. The implementation process can be described as occurring in four essential elements: (1) the development of the health ministry in each of the four churches; (2) the process in which the four ministries coordinated their activities to create the diabetes education program; (3) the process of delivering the diabetes education program; and (4) the challenges in promoting the diabetes education program across the community. Practice implications, as well as cultural competency issues related to social work practice with faith-based organizations and African-American communities, are also presented.

Keywords:

• diabetes self-management
• Black Church
• collaboration
• cultural competence
• community based participatory research
• African Americans

Acknowledgments

This article was sponsored and supported by the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, University at Albany, State University of New York. NIH (NCMHD) #5RDMD001120. The program and study could not have been feasible without the support and efforts of the African American Clergy for Empowerment (ACCUE) and its Voices of Wellness Committee, as well as the participating four Churches and their Health Ministries.