Willing Spirit Weak Flesh Addressing Health Disparities in the African American Church

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Willing Spirit Weak FleshAddressing Health
Disparities in the African American Church

• Vivian Berryhill, President
• www.pastorspouses.com

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Faith Facts

• There is no shortage of
• churches in African American
• neighborhoods
• Women constitute the majority
• in most African American
• churches
• African American church
• major network in African
• American community

• Approximately 28,617 African American churches in
  U.S. Source U.S. Census 2000 American Church
  List div of Info USA Omaha NE
• 85 African American women identify membership
  with a local faith site Source National Survey
  of Black Americans (1979-1980)
• Every major movement in the African American
  community emanated in the church Source
  www.demo.lutherproductions.com

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Health Facts

• Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer
  of women today
• Cardiovascular disorders attributed to diet,
  lifestyle
• Women are key to family health reforms

• 72 African American women die annually from
  cardio-vascular related diseases Source CDC
  www.americanheart.org
• Women head 40 of 8.7 million African
  American households in U.S. Source U.S. Census
  2000
• Women are primary healthcare decision makers in
  the home Source Deborah Kamali, MD UCSF
  Womens Health 2020 Conference, 3/04

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Conclusion
African American churches are prime sites for
preventive Cardiovascular programs targeting
women of color
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Connectthedots

• Pastors spouses wield considerable influence on
  African American parishioners
• 97 Pastors spouses are women
• Civil responsibility movement utilizing church
  properties as health information sites

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Empowering African American women to become
Health Champions is key to healthy America
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H.O.P.E. 4-Her Heart
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Collaborating Partners

• Neighborhood and community agencies (i.e.
  A.A./AHA et. al/YWCA/
• Cardiologists, medical clinics, and
  hospital/health care facilities
• Media
• National coupon company
• Grocery stores
• Government and private corporations

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You do the math Pastors Spouses embedding
cardiovascular programs in African American
churches, in conjunction with local partners,
produce healthy people.



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