Faith Leaders Research Articles

Development of the Faith Community Child Protection Scale with Faith Leaders and their Spouses in Senegal, Uganda and Guatemala

Violence, abuse and neglect constitute major threats to children’s health and wellbeing globally. However, until recently, relatively little systematic attention has been paid to the role of faith communities in shaping the protective environment for children. This paper describes the development of a measure to capture child-protective disposition amongst faith communities through field studies with faith leaders and their spouses in Senegal, Uganda and Guatemala. Identifying common factors related to child care and protection practices, orientation to child rights and approaches to discipline, the measure potentially serves to both inform and evaluate interventions seeking to engage with the beliefs and behaviours of faith communities to support children’s health and wellbeing.

Informing the UK Muslim Community on Organ Donation: Evaluating the Effect of a National Public Health Programme by Health Professionals and Faith Leaders

There is a significant shortage of transplantable organs in the UK particularly from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups, of which Muslims make a large proportion. The British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) held a nationwide series of community gatherings with the aim of describing the beliefs and attitudes to organ donation amongst British Muslims and evaluate the efficacy of a national public health programme on views and uncertainties regarding religious permissibility and willingness to register. Eight public forums were held across the UK between June 2019 and March 2020 by the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA). A panel of experts consisting of health professionals and Imams discussed with audiences the procedures, experiences and Islamic ethico-legal rulings on organ donation. Attendees completed a self-administered questionnaire which captured demographic data along with opinions before and after the session regarding religious permissibility and willingness to register given permissibility. A total of 554 respondents across seven UK cities were included with a M:F ratio 1:1.1. Only 45 (8%) respondents were registered as organ donors. Amongst those not registered multiple justifications were detailed, foremost of which was religious uncertainty (73%). Pre-intervention results indicated 50% of respondents were unsure of the permissibility of organ donation in Islam. Of those initially unsure or against permissibility or willingness to register, 72% changed their opinion towards deeming it permissible and 60% towards a willingness to register indicating a significant change in opinion (p < 0.001). The effectiveness of our interventions suggests further education incorporating faith leaders alongside local healthcare professionals to address religious and cultural concerns can reduce uncertainty whilst improving organ donation rates among the Muslim community.

Building trust to cut risk in hard-to-reach groups

Nurses can help to tailor public health messages about lifestyle change and preventable disease through collaboration with community and faith leaders

Joseph Smith's History: It's Complicated

Joseph Smith's History: It's Complicated

Vaccine acceptance in rural India: Engaging faith leaders as vaccine ambassadors.

IntroductionReligious faith is a key marker of identity and shapes community perspectives and trust. Faith leader involvement in vaccine campaigns in India have been beneficial to counter misinformation regarding infectious diseases such as polio. Faith leaders are influential stakeholders who bear potential to enhance public confidence in vaccine campaigns.ContextWhile vaccine coverage has been increasing in India, inequities abound, especially in populations with historically low vaccine confidence. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major disruptions in delivery of routine immunization services for children. To address these challenges, we co-designed interventions aimed at contextual communication strategies and peer support. Engaging faith leaders was an important part of this intervention. In this report we describe our experience and highlight the perspectives of faith leaders and their expectations of the outcomes for this intervention.Programmatic elementsThe CIVIC Project, conducted from January to December 2021 aimed to engage caregivers, community health workers and key stakeholders, particularly, faith leaders in co-designing interventions to address vaccine hesitancy in Mewat. The project, deeply rooted in community based participatory research, used a three-E approach (Exploration of community perspectives, Establishment of vaccine trust and awareness, Engagement in vaccine promotion activities) to successfully engage faith leaders in the design and dissemination of media messages advocating for vaccine acceptance and uptake.Lessons learnedThe involvement of faith leaders in the intervention benefited the community in two ways. First, faith leaders were spotlighted via videos, often disseminating advice and personal anecdotes about vaccines, thus reassuring caregivers and community members who previously expressed distrust in vaccines. Second, involvement of trusted faith leaders provided a platform for a two-way dialogue for the community to openly discuss and address myths and misconceptions regarding vaccines. This project provided the learning that co-creating interventions with faith leaders who are often gatekeepers of close-knit communities can lead to the development of vaccine positive messaging that community members relate with, motivating increased vaccine confidence.

Engaging faith communities in public health messaging in response to COVID-19: Lessons learnt from the pandemic in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PurposeTo understand challenges faced by faith leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in engaging with current public health strategies for the COVID-19 pandemic; to explain why long-standing collaborations between government, faith-based health services and leaders of faith communities had little impact; to identify novel approaches to develop effective messaging that resonates with local communities.MethodsA qualitative participatory research design, using a workshop methodology was deployed to seek opinions of an invited group of faith leaders in the DRC provinces of Ituri and Nord-Kivu. A topic guide was developed from data gathered in prior qualitative interviews of faith leaders and members. Topics were addressed at a small workshop discussion. Emerging themes were identified.FindingsLocal faith leaders described how misinterpretation and misinformation about COVID-19 and public health measures led to public confusion. Leaders described a lack of capacity to do what was being asked by government authorities with COVID-19 measures. Leaders' knowledge of faith communities' concerns was not sought. Leaders regretted having no training to formulate health messages. Faith leaders wanted to co-create public health messages with health officials for more effective health messaging.ConclusionPublic trust in faith leaders is crucial in health emergencies. The initial request by government authorities for faith leaders to deliver set health messages rather than co-develop and design messages appropriate for their congregations resulted in faith communities not understanding health messages. Delivering public health messages using language familiar to faith communities could help to ensure more effective public health communication and counter misinformation.

Measles outbreak in Zimbabwe: An urgent rising concern.

IntroductionMeasles, one of the most common infections in the world, accounts for more than over 100.000 deaths every year. Measles outbreaks are still ravaging the African continent, and the 2010 Measles outbreak in Zimbabwe is one to be noted, where more than 7754 infections and 517 deaths were reported, ultimately leading to the UN initiation of the vaccination program. COVID-19 could have been delaying the vaccination process in Africa. This article aims to shed the light on the current Measles outbreak in Zimbabwe and how global health organizations are taking measures to fight off this outbreak.MethodologyData was collected from online databases PubMed, Science Direct, and the Lancet, as well as news and conferences and press releases on the current measles outbreak. All articles and news related to the measles outbreak in Zimbabwe were taken into consideration.ResultsA measles outbreak was reported earlier in August of 2022, with more than 2000 confirmed cases out of which 157 were reported dead. Since the outbreak this year, cases of measles in Zimbabwe have been rapidly growing. The government in Zimbabwe started a massive vaccination campaign for children in and near the areas where the outbreak is present. Traditional and faith leaders are involved in the campaigns to encourage the public to volunteer to be vaccinated.ConclusionEfforts to control the measles outbreak in Zimbabwe are being mitigated by the government as well as the WHO and other global health organizations. With many people refusing the vaccination, this outbreak might not see an end, and more cases, as well as deaths, will increase by the end of the year.

237.4: Diversity in Organ Donation in Scotland - Improving Awareness in Black and Ethnic Minority Groups

There is a continued imbalance between the need for organ transplants in Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME)communities in Scotland and the availability of suitable organs with the right blood and tissue type resulting in healthcare inequalities. Currently over 31% of transplant waiting lists in the UK are represented by BAME patients, only 7% of deceased donation are from BAME patients, 75% of opt outs are BAME patients with 70% of BAME families refusing to consent to donation of their deceased relatives. Kidney Research UK along with the Scottish Government and NHS Blood and Transplant have championed the cause of equality of access to information for all faith and cultural groups and their communities to have an understanding of what organ donation means to them. With the change of legislation in Scotland (March 2021) it was even more imperative that people from all backgrounds were made aware that their faith and beliefs can be recorded on the organ donor register. Despite the pandemic, innovative solutions were found on how best to ensure information could be shared not only with local communities but include education for health care staff. The project used the digital platform to host a total of 13 webinars separately with the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities and one with Interfaith Scotland. Webinars have been held with medical students and the British Medical Association and Café Scientifique. Participation in webinars for nursing staff, staff working in NHSBT and doctors in training have also helped to inform healthcare workers about faith and cultural needs of diverse communities. Engagement with local media such as community radio (Awaz FM and Radio Ramadan) and digital magazines such as Asian Voice have aided the dissemination of information. These initiatives have resulted in positive outcomes with quantity and tone of media coverage, number of events and followers. people at local cultural events, schools and religious places. We have revised Faith leaflets for the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh faiths with contributions from not just faith leaders but members of the community to ensure accuracy, comprehensibility and accessibility. We are continuing to engage with MSPs from ethnic backgrounds via online meetings to encourage conversations about donation not just amongst their constituents but also in Parliament.While it is difficult to actually quantify the tangible impact on organ donor registrations, continued engagement since 2015 in Scotland with commitment from NHSBT (hosting Scotland s very first Faith seminar in June 2015) has resulted in an increase in BAME opt ins from 5.8% to 7.8% in 2019-2020 In summary we have harnessed the reach, impact and value of digital and social media platforms to continue this vital piece of work during a pandemic.

LGBTQ+ people’s religious and spiritual experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Personal religion and spirituality can be sources of strength during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing from a larger study of LGBTQ+ wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this article reports on the faith and spirituality of LGBTQ+ adults in the United States. Nearly 700 diverse LGBTQ+ individuals were recruited via Qualtrics Panel. Analysis showed that those who prayed more and who were religious or spiritual prior to the pandemic were more likely to rely on their religion or spirituality to understand and cope with the pandemic. This study has implications for social workers, helping professionals, and faith leaders, including avoiding assumptions, utilizing a person-centered approach, and being familiar with community resources.

Rapid Implementation of a Community-Academic Partnership Model to Promote COVID-19 Vaccine Equity within Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Communities.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has highlighted inequities in mortalities and associated illnesses among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino individuals. Immunization against COVID-19 is critical to ending the pandemic, especially within racial and ethnically minoritized communities. However, vaccine hesitancy and institutional mistrust in these communities, resulting from decades of mistreatment, structural racism, and barriers to vaccination access, have translated into low vaccination uptake. Trustworthy relationships with healthcare professionals and partnerships with faith and community leaders are critical to increasing vaccination rates within these minoritized communities. Loma Linda University researchers collaborated with local faith and community organizations in San Bernardino County, CA, to rapidly implement a three-tiered approach to increase the vaccination rates within non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino communities. This community–academic partnership model provided over 1700 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine within these vaccine-hesitant, targeted minoritized communities. As over 100,000 individuals are diagnosed with COVID-19 daily and updated vaccines targeting variants of the Omicron strain are expected to rollout in the coming months, the development of sustainable programs aimed at increasing vaccine uptake within vulnerable communities are of the utmost importance.

“Water Brought Us Together”: A Baptismal Ethic from Flint

What lessons and insights can the broader Church learn from Christian faith leaders in Flint, Michigan, who have been in a sustained struggle for justice amidst the still unfolding impacts of environmental racism? How did the baptismal identities of faith leaders function as a resource in this struggle, and on a broader level how might Christian baptismal practices and theory be a resource for solidarity in the struggle for racial and environmental justice in and beyond Flint? In other words, might the waters of Christian baptism also “bring together” Christians to tangibly resist racism? This essay emerges from a qualitative research project examining baptismal practices amidst the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Using liberationist methodology and employing conversation as a means of co-constructing theological knowledge, this article seeks to define a baptismal ethic born from the water crisis based upon the lived experiences of Christian leaders and their communities.

Using Implementation Science to Promote Integration and Sustainability of Community Health Workers in the HIV Workforce.

Community health worker (CHW) interventions are an evidence-based practice adopted by health care settings to increase retention in care and viral suppression for people living with HIV (PLWH) from racial/ethnic minority communities. However, disparate funding, unclear roles vis a vis other care team members, limited training and promotion opportunities, and a lack of standards for wages and tasks limit the ability to effectively use CHWs as part of the health care team. Guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment and Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance frameworks, this study describes the key determinants for CHW integration and sustainability at 3 agencies in Shelby County, TN, to improve viral suppression and reduce disparities among rural and urban people living with HIV. Memphis Transitional Grant Area (TGA) which includes 8 rural and urban counties in west Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Seventeen key informants were identified using purposeful and snowball sampling techniques, including community and agency leadership staff, frontline staff, and faith leaders. Key determinants of CHW integration include establishing clear and standardized CHW roles within and across organizations, facilitating interorganizational networks, and leveraging funds for livable CHW wages and sustainable positions. Training strategies that strengthen the CHW workforce include content related to trauma-informed care, managing stress, and cultural humility. Several inner and outer settings and innovation and bridging factors affect CHW positions. Data collected will inform the implementation and sustainment of future policies and interventions intended to improve HIV care continuum outcomes and reduce disparities for PLWH.

Sidebar: Partnership Between Black Faith Leaders and HIV/AIDS Communities Can Foster Change.

The HIV epidemic continues to have a disproportionate impact on African Americans living in the South [[1][1]]. Despite an overall decline by 9% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States from 2015 to 2019, the highest concentration of new diagnoses was in the US South [[1][1]]. Moreover, from 2015

Parent and implementer attitudes on gender-equal caregiving in theory and practice: perspectives on the impact of a community-led parenting empowerment program in rural Kenya and Zambia

BackgroundFathers are often perceived to be mainly responsible for the provision of the family's economic needs. However, past studies have demonstrated that fathers’ involvement in parenting has great significance for the child’s holistic growth and development. Few studies have investigated fathers’ roles in the nurturing care of young children, particularly responsive care and stimulation, in sub-Saharan Africa. The study reported here was carried out as part of a larger study that sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the Moments That Matter (MTM) program in improving the nurturing care of young children in rural communities in Zambia and Kenya. The MTM program uses a parenting empowerment approach to promote bonding and interactions between caregivers and their children within the home, focusing on responsive care, early learning, and security and safety so that children reach their full developmental potential. Trained volunteers facilitated monthly primary caregiver support and learning groups and ECD home visits. Fathers were encouraged to participate in the home visits and to attend some of the group meetings on specific topics. The study reported in this paper aimed to establish the impact of the parenting empowerment program in promoting more gender-equal attitudes and practices on parenting among fathers (who were not the primary caregivers).MethodsQualitative data were collected at three time points (pre-intervention before the implementation began; mid-intervention after 6 months of implementation; and post-intervention, after 24 months). We conducted focused group discussions with primary caregivers (n = 72) and fathers (n = 24) with children below 3 years. In-depth interviews were conducted with ECD Promoters (n = 43) and faith leaders (= 20). We also conducted key informant interviews with the MTM program implementers (n = 8) and government officials (n = 5) involved in the program implementation. We employed thematic analysis to analyse the qualitative data.ResultsThe findings showed that the MTM program resulted in improved gender-equal parenting attitudes and practices among mothers/other primary caregivers and fathers. Study participants reported that most fathers spent more time playing and interacting with their children and were more involved in household chores due to their participation in the MTM program.ConclusionThe study findings provide evidence for policy formulation and a guide for implementation of policies that can influence changes in perceived gender roles in parenting.

Diagnosing and dismantling South African whiteness: ‘white work’ in the Dutch Reformed Church

In this article, we reflect on our lived experience as co-facilitators of a promising intragroup anti-racism process within the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa. Firstly, we describe how this emergent process, referred to as ‘white work’, has developed since 2018 to include three focal areas: facilitation and training, research and the development of resources for faith leaders. Secondly, in the interest of localised, embodied diagnostic work, we mention relatively neglected strands of South African whiteness that have arisen through this process of ‘white work’. We argue that this DRC ‘white work’ contributes to a more intersectional approach to dismantling whiteness. Finally, we propose that the dismantling potential of this ‘white work’ rests on three dimensions – raising consciousness, cultivating capacity and forming community – while stressing some of the challenges and limitations we have encountered in our process thus far.Contribution: This article contributes to both the diagnosis and dismantling of South African whiteness by presenting a narrative reflection on an emergent process among members of the DRC in South Africa.

Heteropatriarchy's Blame Game: Reading Genesis 37 with Izitabane during COVID 19

The COVID 19 pandemic compounded the insecurity and vulnerability experienced by LGBTIQ+ people who remain confined to their family homes during the lockdown in South Africa. LGBTIQ+ people are often referred to as Izitabane, a term that gives derogatory expression to the othering, stigmatisation and exclusion experienced by LGBTIQ+ people in African contexts in general and African faith communities in particular. As the pandemic unfolded, faith leaders reached out to their flock via social media through online worship services and daily devotions. In some instances, these devotions sought "theological clarification" for the pandemic and in the process evoked violence towards the LGBTIQ+ community who were held responsible. In order to engage critically and creatively with these life-denying realities and to search for impulses of hope and life, an episode from the Joseph narrative found in Gen 37 has been appropriated as a reflective surface in the development process of Contextual Bible Study resources engaging the African faith and sexuality landscape. Building on insights gained from employing the tools of Queer Biblical Hermeneutics to read Gen 37, the final part of the essay describes the Contextual Bible Study developed jointly by the Ujamaa Centre at UKZN and Inclusive and Affirming Ministries and offers it as a resource for Izitabane to resist normalisation, correction and annihilation when the Biblical text is used in a life-denying manner.

Looking beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Congregants’ Expectations of Future Online Religious Service Attendance

Many religious congregations in the United States have adapted to COVID-19 lockdowns by offering religious services online. This study aims to understand whether congregants from a diverse set of faith traditions expect to attend online or in-person religious services after the pandemic. First, it examines how members of different religious traditions vary in their expectations of future attendance. Second, it explores whether respondents’ habituation to online attendance during the pandemic might result in greater preference for future online attendance. This study draws on a non-representative sample of 1609 members of Christian, Jewish, and Hindu communities in four US states surveyed in late 2020 and employs logistic regression models. The findings first suggest a divergence between congregation types that require in-person attendance for certain rituals versus those that do not. Second, habituation of the practice of online attendance may cultivate the desire to sustain this practice into the future. Online religious services have been well received by most congregants, and online services will likely play a useful role across congregation types, albeit at differing levels and with different audiences. Our finding that marginal congregants were more likely to prefer online religious services, while more engaged members preferred in-person attendance, is of relevance to faith leaders.

Skeptical Health Mavens May Limit COVID-19 Vaccine Diffusion: Using the Innovation Diffusion Cycle to Interpret Results of a Cross-sectional Survey among People Who are Socially Vulnerable

We sought to identify barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake among persons who are socially vulnerable in light of the natural cycle of innovation diffusion. Widespread adoption of a health innovation requires a cadre of opinion leaders to build on successes experienced by early adopters. One type of opinion leader in healthcare are health mavens: members of a community who maintain up-to-date health knowledge and share their knowledge others. We surveyed 139 persons who are socially vulnerable regarding their COVID-19 vaccination intention, and evaluated their responses based on psychological traits captured by two scales: innovativeness and health mavenism. Health mavenism was not strongly correlated with COVID-19 vaccine intention. Health mavens often relied on their own healthcare providers (n = 46) and health agency websites (n = 42) for vaccine information. Those who relied on their faith leaders (n = 4) reported a lower likelihood of getting vaccinated (31.5% vs. 76.0%, p < .05). The observed lack of support by health mavens represents a critical barrier to COVID-19 vaccine uptake; targeting campaigns to health mavens may increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake in socially vulnerable communities.

The View of the Three Monotheistic Religions Toward Cadaveric Organ Donation.

Religious concerns regarding the legitimacy of cadaveric organ donation have been found to be major inhibiting factors for people to consent to donate organs post-mortem for transplantation; this constitutes a major cause for the grave shortfall of available organs for transplantation. The purpose of this review is to explore the view of the three monotheistic religions, namely Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, toward cadaveric organ donation. The literature review reveals that all three monotheistic religions support cadaveric organ donation but within certain restrictions. We provide a detailed description of the approach of each religion and the inhibiting considerations as interpreted by religious authorities. Health professionals need to collaborate with faith leaders in order to optimize the education of the public of believers with regard to the benefits stemming from organ donation. Developing transplantation medicine does not depend solely on technical capabilities and expertise; rather, this development should go hand in hand with religious, traditional and cultural beliefs and rituals. Providing a believer with a religious authority about cadaveric organ donation is very effective in helping families and individuals cope with difficult and critical decisions.

Effective Approaches to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy.

Effective Approaches to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy.