Engaging Faith Communities as Partners in Improving Community Health

This report by the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides an overview of a 1997 forum on partnerships between United States health systems and faith communities. The forum was sponsored by the CDC, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Carter Center.

The report introduction states that while partnerships between faith organisations and the health system are not new, they are “not as common as we hope them to be”. According to the authors, “the faith sector…represents the values of the community” and it is essential to consider these values when seeking to change behaviours and social norms within a community.



The November 1997 forum sought to address these issues. Agenda for the forum was broken into three panel sessions:

• Separation of church and state
• The science supporting work with faith communities
• Exemplary partnerships

Separation of church and state


In examining the separation of church and state, the legal requirements set by the Supreme Court were outlined. Speakers from both the faith and government sectors gave examples of working within this framework. The Congress of National Black Churches (CNBC) described how Justice Department funding benefits their work in violence and drug prevention, and the accountability requirements and limitations resulting from such a partnership. From the government side, a speaker from the South Carolina Department of Health explained how faith groups must be treated equally, yet may receive funding priorities based on differing health risks within each faith community. The speaker also pointed out the need to asses what public health strategies are, and are not, acceptable to particular faith groups.

The science supporting work with faith communities


The second session of the forum presented evidence of the benefits of partnerships with the faith community. Speakers discussed the pervasiveness and effectiveness of religious organisations, and presented evidence of the health benefits of religiosity. Studies cited included those showing lowered recidivism among prisoners who attended bible studies, and lower mortality among those who attend church.

Exemplary partnerships


The final session of the forum presented case studies from both domestic US and international partnerships. Domestic examples included the CDC’s HIV Prevention Faith Initiative and Project Vision's health intervention initiatives. The CDC’s HIV Prevention Initiative works to integrate faith groups in the prevention planning process and in the dissemination of information. The Witness Project has as its goals both to “save souls” and to promote community awareness of breast and cervical health issues. The report states that through honouring the spiritual and religious beliefs of the community, Witness Project workers can communicate the importance of breast and cervical exams, and help teach that cancer is neither a punishment from God nor a death sentence.



Internationally, projects in both Jamaica and Kenya were offered as examples of the success that can be achieved by working with, and not for, local communities. The Bethel Baptist Ministry worked with local clinics and education classes to reduce teen pregnancy and increase the child immunisation rate to 100%. In Kenya, the Catholic Church has trained community health workers on simple preventative and curative measures in order to generate "self-reliance at the village level, and provide links between the community and static health facilities". Among the lessons learned were the importance of starting with community determined priorities, working with local community leaders, and gaining a thorough understanding of the health practices you are promoting.