saving lives through health literaCy | a guiDe for your plaCe of faith anD worship
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
3 John 1:2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Letter from a Pastor .................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction and Purpose of the Guide .......................................................................................................... 4
The Four Pillars................................................................................................................................................. 7 Pillar 1: A Pastor Who is Committed and Involved Pillar 2: Church Activities that Promote a Healthy Lifestyle Pillar 3: A Church Environment that Promotes Healthy Lifestyle Living and Health Literacy Pillar 4: Saving Lives Health Advocates and Peer Counseling that Motivates Church Members to Live
Healthy
Healthy Living and Wellness Defined ........................................................................................................... 8
Saving Lives Affirmations ................................................................................................................................ 8
Bringing Saving Lives to you place of faith and worship ............................................................................... 9
Faith based organizational activities that promote healthy eating and well being ..................................... 10
Customizing Saving Lives for your church ................................................................................................... 12
Keeping the spirit alive ................................................................................................................................. 13
Success stories ............................................................................................................................................... 15
The good news about fruits and vegetables ................................................................................................ 17
What’s in fruits and vegetables? .................................................................................................................. 19
The colors of health ..................................................................................................................................... 20
How many servings do you need each day? ............................................................................................... 21
What’s a serving? It’s all in your hand ........................................................................................................ 22
The history of Saving Lives .......................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix A: Planning Materials •RolesandResponsibilitiesoftheChurchCoordinatorandPlanningTeam •AgendaforFirstPlanningTeamMeeting •EducationalActivityTaskListandTimeline •EducationalActivityPlanningForm •EducationalActivityFeedbackForm—WhatDoYouThink? •Hands-onHealthandWell-beingActivities •August2012|HealthCareScreeningAgendaofActivities •February2013|Workshop|AppointedPills •ResearchQuestions
Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
2 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
PLUMGROVE BAPTIST CHURCHRev. Tyshawn Gardner, Senior PastorCHURCH LOGO AND TAGLINE
Members,
God cares about every aspect of our lives. His Word says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3: John 2).
Sadly, many Americans, African American Church leaders in particular, have gone home to the Lord too early in life from diseases that can be prevented. I see them die in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s. This is just when their wisdom and guidance is most needed to instruct the next generation. Brethren, this ought not be!
Eating a healthy diet along with an active lifestyle may help us lower our chances of diseases such ashighbloodpressure,stroke,diabetes,heartdisease,andsometypesofcancer.TheNationalCancerInstitute recommends eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day because it’s important for our health.
Fromthebeginning,GodknewwhatkindsoffoodHewantedustoeat.
“ThenGodsaid,‘Igiveyoueveryseed-bearingplantonthefaceofthewholeearthandeverytreethat has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” (Genesis 1:29).
Join me in embracing the University of Alabama Saving Lives Initiative, a program for faith based organizations to increase health literacy and promote health and wellness. SLI is here to improve the health and wellness of all involved.
Trust me. It is easy to bring healthy eating and wellness practices into the church when you prayerfullyanddiligentlyusetheprogram.DoingSLIhands-oninteractiveactivitiesandparticipatingin the health screenings is a blessing beyond measure.
DoyounotknowthatyourbodyisatempleoftheHolySpirit,whoisinyou,whoyouhavereceivedfromGod?”Let’sstarttreatingourbodylikethetemplethatitis.
In Love,
Pastor Tyshawn Gardner, Ph.D.
3Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
“You must start at the center of the community, which is the church in African American communities.”
The Rev. Dr. Melvin B. Tuggle III, author of “It is Well With My Soul—Churches and
Institutions Collaborating for Public Health”
Beautiful Garden of Prayer Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD
PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE
The Saving Lives Initiative (SLI) program is a
university-faithbasedhealthliteracyandwell-being
program developed for places of faith and worship in
the rural south. The program is designed to empower
faith based leaders and congregational members
to engage in activities that will enhance their
physical,mental,emotionalandspiritualwell-being.
According to our current President of the United
States,BarackObama,faithbasedorganizations
arethebedrockofAmericancommunities.Faith
based organizations that embrace SLI can help their
memberstakecareoftheirbodiesaswellastheir
spirits.
There are several health initiative ongoing
throughout the rural south. However, most rural
health and wellness programs do not extract the
threads of religious scripture and weave them into
daily practical approaches towards healthy lifestyle
living.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen” (KJV).
And, “without faith, it is impossible to please
God“ (1 John 5:4; Hebrews 11:6).
SLIworksbycombining:
•Pastoralleadership
•Hands-oneducationalactivitiesrelatedtohealth
and wellness;
•Afaithbasedenvironment(church,synagogue,
temple, etc) that supports healthy eating;
•Peercounseling;
•Advocatesupport.
This guide explains how to run the program in
your place of faith and worship. It tells how to create
a SLI program to fit your congregation. It also has
tools and handouts to get started, and resources for
more information.
WHY SLI — THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE
AND PREVENTION
Unique health care challenges face America’s 62
million rural citizens nationally, including almost
2 million in Alabama. Today, more than ever
before, Alabama must address accessibility issues,
alackofhealthcareproviders,andtheneedsofan
aging population suffering from a greater number
of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of
underinsured and uninsured citizens.
AfricanAmericansmakeupalargepartofmany
rural counties in Alabama particularly counties
locatedintheBlackBeltRegion.AfricanAmericans
intheruralsouthareoftenatahigherriskformany
serious and often fatal diseases. These include high
bloodpressure,diabetes,heartdisease,stroke,and
4 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
INTRODUCTION
cancer.AfricanAmericansarealsomorelikelyto
suffer serious health problems and die from these
often preventable diseases. Therefore, the SLI
program begins as a pilot program initially targeted
to the African American faith based community. The
program will continue to develop to include other
ethnic and religious groups in the second, third
and subsequent years. The audience will expand to
include leaders and congregational members from
synagogues, mosques, and a diversity of faith based
organizations located in rural Alabama and across
the nation.
Whatcanyoudotoloweryourriskfor
disease? The National Cancer Institute for example
recommends eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and
vegetables a day. According to the American Heart
Association and the U.S. Department of Health and
HumanServices-NationalInstitutesofHealth,if
youareoverweightorobese,workwithyourdoctor
tocreateareasonableweight-lossplanthatinvolves
diet and physical activity. Controlling your weight
helpsyoucontrolriskfactorsforcoronaryheart
diseaseandheartattack.Beasphysicallyactiveas
you can. Physical activity can improve your fitness
levelandyourhealth.Talkwithyourdoctorabout
whattypesofactivityaresafeforyou.Ifyousmoke,
quit.SmokingcanraiseyourriskofCHDandheart
attack.Talkwithyourdoctoraboutprogramsand
products that can help you quit. Also, try to avoid
secondhandsmoke.Toassesshowheartsmartyou
aretakethemultiplechoicequizbelowonCoronary
Heart Disease.
THE BENEFITS OF SLI TO YOUR CHURCH
SLI organizations embrace and celebrate good
healthandwell-being.Yourcongregationwill:
5Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HEARTSMARTQUIZ
1.Whichofthefollowingisthe“silentkiller”because it usually has no symptoms?
stroke high cholesterol high blood pressure hemophilia
2.WhichofthefollowingisNOTariskfactorfor cardiovascular disease?
obesity consumption of aspirin cigarettesmoking elevated blood cholesterol stress
3. Which of the following changes in lifestyle are recommended to treat or prevent hypertension?
donotsmoke limitdietarysaltintake exercise regularly control weight All of the above lifestyle changes are
recommended to treat or prevent hypertension.
4. The symptoms of heart failure include __________.
fatigue shortness of breath fluid accumulation All of the above are symptoms of heart
failure. weakness
The answers to the questions can be found on Page XX in the Appendix.
•Learnhowhealthandspiritualityare
connected;
•Feelempoweredtotakechargeoftheirhealth;
•Eatmorefruitsandvegetableseveryday;
•Livehealthierinotherways,suchaseatingless
fat and getting more physical activity;
•Gainaccesstovitalhealthinformationatthe
church.
Remember,theapproachforSLIwaspurposely
selected because of its compatibility with the existing
religious cultural norms of citizens in rural Alabama
and nation. There are monthly activities scheduled
for each participating organization. Each activity
is supported by a specific scripture. For example,
inAugustaworkshopisscheduledwiththetitle:
AppointedPills:Whichonesareyoutakingand
why? The supporting scripture is “And the prayer
offeredinfaithwillmakethesickpersonwell;and
theLordwillraisehimup”:James5:15-16.
The SLI program includes a research component
with university faculty attempting to answer
persisting questions on the types of programmatic
interventions and community engagement strategies
that can help eliminate health disparities in rural
communities and implement necessary strategies
to increase health literacy across marginalized
communities.
The SLI curricula activities are based on activities
outlined in the Body & Soul curricula guide. For
10 years, African American churches around the
country have used the Body & Soul program. They
have shared their ideas, tips, and success stories. The
SLI program is building on what is already in place
to continue with the promotion of health wellness
and literacy for rural Americans. Once SLI is thriving
in your church or place of worship, please share what
you learned with other faith based organizations in
your community.
6 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
SLI FOUR PILLARS
The Saving Lives Initiative program is made up
of four parts. We call these parts “pillars” and base
our pillars on the four pillars outlined in the Body &
Soul program (National Cancer Institute, 2004). Just
as a church building needs support on all four sides,
a successful SLI program needs all four of its “pillars”
to be active and strong. All four pillars must be in
place to build an effective SLI program.
THE FOUR PILLARS OF SLI ARE:
1. A pastoral leader who is committed and involved.
As the leader of most faith based organizations
in the rural south, the pastor’s support of the
program is vital. The more actively involved the
pastor is the better.
2. Faith based organizational activities that promote
healthyeatingandwell-being.Gatheringsand
workshopsteachbothinformationandskillsthat
encourage a healthy diet. The SLI Planning Team
and Health Advocates plan and carry out the
program activities. The SLI activities will focus on
the 8 components of health and wellness. They
are: spiritual, nutritional, social, environmental,
emotional, intellectual, and mental.
3. Faith based environments that promote healthy
eatingandwell-being.It’simportanttosurround
the congregation with healthy choices at meals
and other functions. This shows members how
simpleitistomakeeatingmorefruitsand
vegetables part of their daily lives.
4. Peer counseling and advocates that motivate
congregational members to eat a healthy diet,
engage in physical activity and maintain their
emotionalandspiritualwellbeing.One-on-one
as well as communal support help congregational
memberstakemorecontrolovertheirhealth.
“The African American Community is in a crisis. We are at the top of the charts for chronic diseases.”Body & Soul Church Coordinator,
California
7Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HEALTH AND WELLNESS DEFINEDAccording to the World Health Organization
(WHO), health is a state of complete physical,
mental,andsocialwell-beingandnotmerelythe
absence of disease or infirmity. According to the
National Wellness Institute (NWI), wellness is an
activeprocessofbecomingawareofandmaking
choices toward a more successful existence. The
keywordsareprocess,aware,choicesandsuccess.
Process means that we never arrive at a point where
there is no possibility of improving. Processing in
wellness conveys infinity. Aware means that we are
byournaturecontinuouslyseekinginformation
about how we can improve. Choices mean that
we have considered a variety of options and select
those that seem to be in our best interest. Success
is determined by each individual to their personal
collection of accomplishments for their life.
HEALTH LITERACY DEFINEDHealth literacy according to U.S. Department of
HealthResourcesandAdministrationistheabilityto
read, understand and act upon health information.
Healthliteracyisnowknowntobevitaltogood
patient care and positive health outcomes. According
totheInstituteofMedicine’sgroundbreakingreport
on health literacy, nearly half of all American adults
—90millionpeople—havedifficultyunderstanding
andusinghealthinformation.Whenpatientslack
the ability to understand and act upon medical
information,itcanputtheirhealthatrisk.
Low health literacy is more prevalent among
thefollowingU.S.citizens-olderadults,minority
populations, lower income individuals and the
medically underserved.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
AFFIRMATIONS
•Iamlivingajoyful,balancedlife
of ease in an abundant world.
Kerri McCutcheon, InnerVitality
•Iamlivingthelifeofmy
dreams right now. I give myself
permission to heal.
Kerri McCutcheon, InnerVitality
AFFIRMATIONS FOR A
PHYSICALLY FIT BODY
•“Mymind,bodyandsoulare
in perfect harmony.”
•“Mycellsknowwhattodo,to
keepmybodyinbalance.”
•“Mybodyknowswhatisbest
for me to thrive.”
AFFIRMATIONS FOR
WELLNESS AND HEALING
•“Experiencingstillness
between thoughts, helps me
listen to what my body is
saying.”
8 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
BRINGING SAVING LIVES TO YOUR PLACE OF FAITH AND WORSHIP
PILLAR ONE: A pastoral leader who is committed
and involved
This section tells how to build your SLI program
around the program’s four “pillars”. It goes on to
offer tips for customizing SLI to your congregation.
And,finally,itoffersideasonhowtokeepyourSLI
program running well over time.
Be sure to get the pastor’s support up front. As
the leader of the organization, the pastor’s support
sends a clear message to the congregation. It shows
thattheprogramisinkeepingwiththemissionof
the church. And, it helps church members see the
linkbetweenphysicalhealthandspiritualwellbeing.
The pastor can:
•LaunchtheSLIprogramatakick-offevent.
Sign “The Church’s Commitment to Good
Health” pledge. Affirm the pledge before the
congregation (A sample pledge is included in
Appendix B).
•Bearolemodelforthecongregationbyeating
more fruits and vegetables every day.
•Deliverinspirationalmessagesaboutthelink
between good health and spirituality. Include
Bible verses that refer to healthy eating and living
in sermons, church bulletins, and newsletters.
•Askthatmorefruitsandvegetablesbeservedat
church functions to help create a healthy church
setting.
•Askandexpectcongregationalmembersto
attendtheSLIhealthscreeningandworkshops.
Encouragecongregationalmemberstotake
leadership roles in facilitating health related
workshopsandactivities.
•Starta“SLISunday”wherethechurchfocuseson
health once a month.
•RecognizetheSLIPlanningTeamandHealth
Advocates.
•Praisethechurchmemberswhohaveimproved
their eating habits, obtain their desired weight,
increasedhealthliteracy,feelcomfortabletalking
more with their health care provider, engage
in physical activity, and reduce stress related
activities.
A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body.
Proverbs 14:30
• “I welcome and learn from physical symptoms, because symptoms are how my body talks to me.”
• “I take frequent deep breaths to calm and oxygenate my body.”
9Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING AND WELL-BEING
PILLAR TWO: Faith based organizational activities
thatpromotehealthyeatingandwell-being
Activities that encourage church members to
eat more fruits and vegetables, to become more
physically active and to monitor their emotional
well-beingaretheheartofSLI.Thesecaninclude
workshops,cookingdemonstrations,health
screenings, taste tests and many others. Such
activities help in three ways:
•Churchmemberslearnabouthealth.
•Theygetthechancetotrynewtypesoffruitsand
vegetables.
•Theygainskillstochangetheireatinghabits,diet
and exercise patterns.
The more activities you offer, the more church
members are exposed to fruits and vegetables and are
motivated to eat more, exercise more, monitor their
blood and cholesterol levels, eliminate fat and sugar
fromtheirdietand“Acknowledgetheirbodiesasthe
temple for the Holy Spirit.”
SLIactivitiesbeginwithakick-offevent.Thisis
followedbyarangeoflearningactivities.Remember
to celebrate the church’s success along the way too.
Encourage church members to engage in friendly
team based competitions.
The SLI Kick-off Event
The launch event sets the tone for your whole
program. This event:
•Introducestheprogramtothecongregation;
•Inspiresmemberstotakechargeoftheirhealth,and
•Excitesmembersaboutactivitiesthatwilltakeplace
at the church.
Makesuretheeventfeaturesmanycolorfuland
tastyfruitsandvegetables,hastakeawaysthatallow
participants to monitor their blood pressure, glucose
levels, etc. This will help get everyone excited about
what’s to come.
PILLAR THREE: A church environment that
promotes healthy lifestyle living and health
SLI is most effective when the church sets a
good example. The congregation needs to hear the
pastorspeakabouthealth.Theyalsoneedtoget
information about healthy eating. But sermons,
handouts, and even classes are not enough. Church
members also need to eat plenty of fruits and
vegetables at church events.
Serving more fruits, vegetables, and other healthy
foods and encouraging physical activity at church
shows that the curch “practices what it preaches.”
The church is committed to the health of the
congregation. And, healthy eating, physical activity
and attention to a person’s emotional and spiritual
wellbeing becomes a part of church life.
Include activities that appeal to different groups within the church, such as nutrition education activities in Sunday schools, men’s meetings, or other group meetings.
10 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
Ideas for a healthy church environment
Successful SLI programs bring more fruits and
vegetables into the church. Here are some examples:
•Servingmorefruitsandvegetablesafterchurch
services and in church programs, especially those
that involve children.
•Setupchurchpoliciesthatensuremorefruitsand
vegetables are served at church functions.
•Makechangestothechurchkitchen.Thesecan
includetrainingthekitchencommittee,changing
recipesandmenus,andstockingthepantrywith
more fruits and vegetables.
•Encourageaconnectionwithpositiveemotions
and spiritual affirmations. Use scripture to remind
the congregation that words are powerful and that
they can be used for healing.
•Demonstratephysicalactivityandfitness.Showthe
congregation that the pastor and SLI advocates
arecommittedtohealthandwell-beingthrough
theirphysicalfitness.Representthatyourbody
is a temple for the Holy Spirit. Include physical
activityinchurchofferings.Walkinggroupsand
aerobicsclassesaretwoexamples.Yourchurchcan
evenhavewalkingprayermeetings.
•Createafullhealthministry.Bringinotherhealth
topics such as health screenings, preventing and
managing chronic diseases, and substance abuse.
•FeatureSLIarticlesinthechurchnewsletter.Share
SLI information in church brochures.
•HoldSLIworkshopsandactivitieseverymonth
during the year. Connect SLI to your health and
wellnessministry.Reachouttothecommunity.
PILLAR FOUR: Peer counseling that motivates
church members to eat a healthy diet
Peer counseling helps motivate church members
to eat more fruits and vegetables and to engage in
physical activity. These counseling sessions can also
remind members to monitor their emotional and
spiritualwell-being.Interestedchurchmemberssign
uptotalktotrainedvolunteers.Theycantalkover
the telephone or in person.
Churchmemberstalkwiththeirpeercounselors
about how eating healthier relates to their life goals
andpersonalvalues.Peercounselorstailorthetalk
to the person’s readiness to change. Together, the
church member and peer counselor come up with
anactionplanforeating,exercising,andkeepinga
positive attitude. This approach empowers people to
takemorecontrolovertheirphysicalandemotional
health.
Each church chooses and trains members to
bepeercounselors.Thecounselorslearnskillsfor
talkingabouthealthhabits.Aprogramtotrainpeer
counselors is available on at www.5aday.gov.
The peer counseling pillar of SLI is based on the
pillars outlined in the Body & Soul curricula guide.
Body & Soul is based on principles of motivational
interviewing.Thiskindofinterviewingisaproven
methodforchanginghealthbehavior.Theseskills
can also be used in many outreach activities at the
church.
Peer counseling helps “bring home” the SLI
program. It helps church members see how eating
healthier, physical activity and positive spiritual
motivationcanfitintotheirlives.Itoffersone-on-
one attention and support to those who need it. This
personal touch is the final pillar of an effective SLI
program.
11Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
12 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
CUSTOMIZING SAVING LIVES FOR YOUR CHURCHEvery Church has different needs and interests.
With this in mind, you can customize the Saving
Lives program to fit your congregation. This section
offerstipsforformingaPlanningTeamandmaking
plansthatworkforyourchurch.
FORM THE SAVING LIVES PLANNING TEAM
The pastor appoints a Program Coordinator to
manage the program and to oversee the Planning
Team. The Planning Team is usually made up of 5
to 10 people, depending on the size of the church.
The Team customizes the Saving Lives program to
meet the needs of the congregation. The Team is
responsible for coordinating and promoting the
program. The Planning Team can include:
•Membersofthehealthministry;men’swomen’s,
andyouthministries;andthekitchencommittees
•Doctors,nurses,dietitians,andotherswith
expertise in health, food and nutrition
•Churchleaders,includingSundayschoolteachers
and Elders
MAKE PLANS THAT WORK FOR YOUR
CHURCH
A good way to begin planning Body& Soul is to
workactivitiesintothechurch’sexistingprograms.
Youcanaddittoministryprograms,Sunday
school, holiday events, Mother’s and Father’s Day
celebrations, and more. The Planning Team should
alsodevelopstand-aloneSavingLivesactivities.
Youcanfocusactivitiesononespecificgroup,(e.g.,
men’s ministry or the youth) or design them to reach
the entire congregation.
Lookforresourcesalreadyinthechurch,
such as volunteers and people with expertise in
health. Then find ways to get other resources from
the community. Other typical resources include
educational materials, fruits and vegetables, and door
prizes. These can often be found at no or little cost.
(SeeResourcesforalistoforganizationstocontact.)
The Team should:
•Prepareatimelineandtasklistthatshowswhowill
be responsible for what.
•Makealistofresourcesneededforeachactivity.
•Askcommunityorganizationstohelpwith
activities,materials,speakers,andfood.
(Examples:4-HmExtensionService,grocery
stores)
•Getthewordoutearlyandoften.Promoteevents
in the church bulletin, newsletter, and displays.
(Examples: posters, bulletin board notices,
banners)
•Offerdoorprizesforpeoplewhocometothe
13Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
activities.
•BeseensupportingSavingLives.Appearatchurch
services and functions.
•Maintainatrackingsystemtobesureeachactivity
happens as planned.
•Keepascrapbook(e.g.,flyers,photos)sothatthe
church has a record of its Saving Lives program.
•SchedulemeetingsbetweenthePlanningTeamand
pastorforfeedbackonhowwelltheprogramis
working.
See Appendix A for a sample meeting agenda
and other planning materials. These may be helpful
to your Saving Lives Planning Team.
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PLANNING TEAM
•Scheduleregularmeetingsearlyon.Thatway,
everyone can put them on their calendars.
•Alwaysprepareanagendawithspecificgoalsfor
everymeeting.ThishelpstheTeamstayontask
with its timeline.
•Setupasystemforregularcommunicationwith
the Team between meetings.
•UsethetalentsofTeammembersbyforming
smallworkinggroups.Forexample,members
wholiketousetheirartistictalentscanworkon
promotions or decorations. Meanwhile, other
memberscanhelpwithplanningtheworkshops
or getting donations.
•EncouragethePlanningTeamtothinkcreatively.
•Bepatient:Church-basedprogramstaketime,but
they’re worth it.
TIPS FOR WORKING WITH GROCERY STORES
GrocerystoresmakegreatSavingLives
partners.Likeyou,theywantpeopletoeat
more fruits and vegetables. Most grocery stores
already promote 5 to 9 A Day in their produce
department. This is a good reason for the store
toworkwithyou.Theywanttokeepcustomers
and will respond to customer needs. Here are
sometipsforworkingwithlocalgrocerystores:
•Thegrocerystoremaybewillingtooffer
tours of the produce section, coupons, or
donations of fruits and vegetables.
•Manygrocerystoresalreadyhavehealth
programs and/or a community commitment.
Checkwiththestoremanagerabouthow
SavingLivescanworkwithexistingstore
activities.
•Mostgrocerystoreshaveweeklyflyersor
ads.AskiftheycanincludeaSavingLives
message.
•Whenworkingwithstoremanagers,pointout
benefits to the store:
− Identifying with a community church
− linkingtoapopularmessage
− getting recognition from the church
− promoting the sore to the congregation
From Promoting Health in Grocery Stores:
MakingHealthierChoicesEasierChoices,
Minnesota Department of Health, Division of
Health Promotion and Education.
KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVEHOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SAVING LIVES
PROGRAM
Saving Lives can be the start of an active health
ministry. Or it can become part of a ministry you
already have. Either way, the program empowers
church members to eat better and live better,
enriching their lives.
Build on this with more activities that promote
healthy eating and living:
•Createafullhealthministry.Bringinotherhealth
topics such as health screenings, preventing and
managing chronic diseases, and substance abuse.
•FeatureaSavingLivesarticleinthechurch
newsletter.
•SetupaSavingLivesbulletinboardinthechurch.Useittopostnutritionandhealthmessagesregularly.
•Includephysicalactivityinchurchofferings.Walkinggroupsandaerobicsclassesaretwoexamples.One
churchhaswalkingprayermeetings.
•HoldSavingLivesworkshopseveryfewmonthsduringtheyear.
•CreateaSavingLivesministry.Reachoutsidethechurchintothecommunityortoothercongregations.
•Invitenutritionorhealthsupportgroupstomeetregularlyatthechurch.Includewalkingclubsandweight
control programs.
•ExpandSavingLivesintocommunityservicesthechurchprovides,suchasthesoupkitchenorMealson
Wheels.
14 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
SUCCESS STORIESThe blessings of Saving Lives
Church Activities
The Planning Team represented a broad range
of groups within the church. So they had a good
sense of the topics members wanted to learn about.
They also used the church calendar to find ways to
workSavingLivesintoactivitiesthathadalready
been planned. Metropolitan’s Saving Lives activities
included:
•Akick-offeventduringthechurch’sanniversary
celebration
•learningactivitiessuchashealthycookingclasses
andworkshopsonchoosing,storing,and
preparing fruits and vegetables
•Fruitandvegetabletastings
•Highbloodpressurescreeningsafterchurchor
before choir practice
•Aweeklyhealthsupportgrouptodiscussvarious
healthtopicsandgoforwalksaroundthechurch
•Distributingliteratureabouthealthyeatingand
disease prevention, and posting a Saving Lives
display board in the church for activity fliers and
other information
•PromotingSavingLivesactivitiesthroughchurch
bulletins, pulpit announcements, and word of
mouth
Creating a Healthy Church Environment
Metropolitan made healthy changes that could
beseenthroughoutthecongregation-andeven
beyond. The Planning Team arranged for a Saving
Lives meal before the church’s revival. Through that
experience, other area churches had a taste of what
Saving Lives offered.
Peer Counseling
The Saving Lives Planning Team chose church
members to be peer counselors and SL Advocates.
Duringthekickoff,membersofthecongregation
signed up to participate in health screening and to
receivefeedbackontheirresultsfromahealthcoach.
The church members met with their health coach
one-on-one.Thehealthcoachestalkedabouthow
healthy eating fit in with church member’s values.
They showed how it could help them meet their
overall personal goals. Church members benefited
from the experience. They said it was important to
havesomeonefromthechurchtotalkto.Thisreally
helpedthemmakehealthychanges.
Keeping the Spirit Alive
Saving Lives has been launched as a pilot
program.Ithasalsosparkedinterestamongother
churches in the Tuscaloosa area. The Saving Lives
Planning Team could apply to become a formal
ministry within the church. The Saving Lives
ministry can also reach out to other churches,
bringing the program to regional meetings. Ministry
members can teach other churches about Saving
Lives and help them start their own programs.
Pastor Involvement
The pastors in the pilot churches have laid
the foundation for the program by delivering a
stirringsermononhealthandwell-being.Theyhave
15Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
addressedthelinkbetweenhealthandspirituality.
And have encouraged all church members to
participate in Saving Lives. The pastoral leadership
gavetheinvocationatthekick-offhealthscreening
events. The members have come to expect healthy
options whenever food is served.
Church Activities
Church members tasted new fruits and vegetables
and learned how to prepare them more healthfully.
Activities included:
•Akick-offeventthatintroducedthebenefitsof
fruits and vegetables and the importance of
preventing diseases.
•Cookingdemonstrationsthatshowedhealthyways
tomaketraditionalrecipeswithmorefruitsand
vegetables.
•Agadgetpartytoshowpeopledifferenttoolsthat
makeiteasiertopreparefruitsandvegetables.
•Acourseonpatiogardening,taughtbyanagent
from the local extension service.
•Asessiononhowtochoosefreshfruitsand
vegetables,withaspeakerfromagrocerystore
produce department.
•A5Daychallengeheldthroughouttheprogram.
Churchmemberswillreceivecalendarsandcheck
off each day they eat 5 or more servings of fruits
and vegetables. They turn in their calendars at
each Saving Lives activity, where door prizes such
ascookbooksandapronswillbegivenaway.
Creating a Healthy Church Environment
Yourchurchcancreatea“healthymealsand
snacks”policy.Thepolicyrequiresincludingfruits
and vegetables whenever food is served in the church
or the nursery.
Peer Counseling
Church members can volunteer to serve as
Saving Lives peer counselors. The volunteers
includedsocialworkers,teachers,nurses,and
dietitians. Peer counselors help their fellow church
membersbreakthroughthebarriersthatkeepthem
from eating more fruits and vegetables, engaging
in physical activity or monitoring their health. The
counselors gain a lot, too. They feel a strong sense
of accomplishment in helping their fellow church
members.
Keeping the Spirit Alive
Church members will come to expect healthy
options whenever food is served. Members will also
become interested in other health topics, and the
willcontinuetohosthealth-relatedactivitiesand
workshopsonaregularbasis.SavingLivesAdvocates
are now helping other area churches start Saving
Lives programs.
16 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT FRUITS AND VEGETABLESThe National Cancer institute recommends
eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day is
an important part of a healthy, active lifestyle. It
promotes good health and helps lower the chances
of getting high blood pressure, diabetes, heart
disease,stroke,andsometypesofcancer.African
Americans have very high rates of these diseases and
get them earlier in life. They also suffer more serious
health problems and die at an earlier age from these
diseases. Most African Americans eat less than half
of the daily amount of fruits and vegetables they
need to stay healthy.
Everyonehasthepowertomakechoicesto
improve their health. The good news is that eating
more fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest things
you can do to get started.
This section has information about:
•whyeatingfruitsandvegetablesisimportantfor
good health,
•howmanyservingarerecommended,and
•Whataservingsizereallyis.
WHYEATINGFRUITSANDvEGETABLESIS
IMPORTANTFORCHILDREN
It all begins in childhood
African American youth have the highest rates
of overweight and obesity among all children. Type
2 diabetes is also going up at alarming rates among
African American children. Eating habits that affect
achild’sriskfortheseproblemsbegininchildhood.
Healthy eating in childhood, and into the adult
years, will lower their chances for diseases later in
life. These diseases include obesity, overweight,
diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and
cancer.MostAfricanAmericankidseatlessthanhalf
of the amount of fruits and vegetables they need to
stay healthy.
Good habits last a lifetime
It’simportantforustohelpkidsdevelopgood
habits they can carry into their adult lives. Eating
more fruits and vegetables when they are young will
makeiteasierforthemtochoosehealthierfoodsas
adults.
Nutrients to grow healthy and strong
Fruits and vegetables give children many of
the nutrients they need to grow healthfully. Eating
enoughfruitsandvegetablesalsohelpskidsdevelop
17Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
strong muscles, bones, and teeth.
WHYEATINGFRUITSANDvEGETABLESIS
IMPORTANTFORADULTS
Help manage your weight
When combined with an active lifestyle, eating
fruits and vegetables can help you manage your
weight. Most are low in calories and fat. And many
have lots of water and fiber to help you feel full.
Youcaneatfewercaloriesandstillsatisfyyour
appetite. Eat larger portions of fruits and vegetables
at meals. Eat fruits and vegetables raw or steamed
and use very small amounts of added sauces, butters,
or oils.
Lower your chances for some cancers
People who eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and
vegetables a day have a lower chance of getting
cancer of the lung, mouth, pharynx, esophagus,
stomach,colon,andrectum.Theyarealsolesslikely
to get breast, pancreas, larynx, and bladder cancer.
Lower your chances for heart disease and stroke
Heart-healthydietsinclude8to10servingsof
fruits and vegetables a day. They are low in saturated
fatandcholesterol.Theyalsoincludelow-fatdairy
foods and whole grains. Such diets can greatly lower
blood pressure and cholesterol and lower the chances
ofheartdisease.Recentstudiesalsoreportthatdiets
rich in fruits and vegetables may help lower the
chancesforhavingastroke.
Reduce high blood pressure
In the DASH study (Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension); people with high blood pressure
followed a special eating plan. These people saw
their blood pressure go down after only one month.
The plan included 8 to 10 servings of fruits and
vegetablesadayand2to3servingsoflow-fatdairy
foods.
The DASH eating plan is low in saturated fat and
cholesterol. The plan allows only very small amounts
ofredmeat,sweets,andsugar-containingdrinks.It
also includes moderate amounts of whole grains,
fish, poultry and nuts.
People in the DASH study with the lowest
sodiumintakehadthebiggestfallinbloodpressure.
Too much sodium causes blood pressure to rise.
Potassium counteracts the effect of sodium on blood
pressure.Yet,AfricanAmericansgetonlyhalftheir
potassium needs. Fruits and vegetables are naturally
high in potassium and low in sodium.
Lower your chances for diabetes
Obesityanddietarestrongriskfactorsfor
developing type 2 diabetes. So it is important to be
at a healthy weight. Get enough exercise and eat a
healthy diet that includes 5 to 9 servings of fruits and
vegetables a day.
18 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
Fruits and vegetables are the best source of many
vitamins, minerals, and fiber the body needs. They
arealsopackedwithhundredsofdisease-fighting
substances called phytochemicals. And fruits and
vegetables are low in fat and calories.
VITAMINS
Fruits and vegetables provide many important
vitamins,likevitaminAandvitaminC.There
are about 20 vitamins needed for life, each with a
very important job. Some vitamins help the body
produceenergy.Othershelpkeepskinhealthy.
The best way to get vitamins is to eat the fruits and
vegetables that contain them.
MINERALS
Fruits and vegetables provide many important
minerals,likepotassiumandmagnesium.Thebody
needs minerals to do many things. For example,
some minerals help the body maintain healthy bones
and healthy blood pressure.
FIBER
Fruitsandvegetablesarepackedwithfiber.Some
fiber helps lower cholesterol. Fiber also slows down
digestion so that the body can absorb more nutrients
and better control blood sugar levels. Other fiber
helpsyougetridofwasteandkeepsyouregular.
PHYTOCHEMICALS
Phytochemicals(fight-0-chemicals)arethe
naturaldisease-fightingsubstancesinfruitsand
vegetables. Phytochemicals help fight to protect
your health. Fruits and vegetables have hundreds of
phytochemicals.Phytochemicalsworktogetherwith
vitamins and minerals to promote good health.
Here are just a few examples of the
phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables:
•Carotenoidsinredandyellow-orangefruitsand
vegetables (such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes,
carrots)
•Lycopeneintomato-basedfoods(suchastomato
sauce, tomato paste)
•Luteinandzeaxathininleafygreens(suchas
collard greens, spinach, romaine lettuce)
•Flavanoidsinbrightlycoloredfruitsandvegetables
(such as blueberries, cherries, strawberries)
The vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals
infruitsandvegetablescombineforahealth-
protectinganddisease-fightingeffectthatyoucan’t
get from vitamin pills. Only a variety of fruits and
vegetables give you all of these nutrients together.
WHAT’S IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES?
19Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
THE COLORS OF HEALTHFruits and vegetables come in a rainbow of colors. Each color is sign of different important
nutrients.Youcanbenefitfromeatingfruitsandvegetablesofdifferentcolorseachday.These
includegreen,yellow-orange,red,blue-purple,andwhite.
This chart shows the 5 color groups and gives some examples of fruits and vegetables from each.
GREENleafygreens(collard,mustard,andturnipgreens,swisschard,kale,spinachandlettuces),asparagus, green peppers, broccoli, green beans, peas, green cabbage, green onion, Brussels sprouts,okra,zucchini,Chinesecabbage(napa/bokchoy),greenapples,greengrapes,honeydewmelon,kiwifruit,limes.
YELLOW-ORANGEcarrots,summersquash,corn,sweetpotatoes,butternutsquash,pumpkin,yellowpeppers,rutabagas, cantaloupe, grapefruit, lemons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pineapples, tangerines, apricots, mangoes, papayas.
RED tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, tomato soup, red peppers, red onions, beets, red cabbage,kidneybeans,apples,pinkgrapefruit,redgrapes,strawberries,cherries,watermelon,raspberries, cranberries, pomegranates
BLUE-PURPLEeggplant,purplegrapes,plums,raisins,blueberries,blackberries,purplefigs,driedplums,blackcurrants
WHITE cauliflower, mushrooms, white beans, onions, garlic, parsnips, shallots, turnips, ginger, jicama, bananas, pears
20 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HOW MANY SERVINGS DO YOU NEED EACH DAY?
Everyone needs to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. But most adults need to eat more than
children. And men need even more than women.
RECOMMENDED DAILY SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR HEALTHY ACTIVE PEOPLE
Vegetables Fruits TOTALChildren ages 2 to 6, some women and some older adults
3 2 5
Children over age 6, teenage girls, active women, and some men
4 3 7
Teenage boys and active men 5 4 9
*United States Department of Agriculture/Department of Health and Human Services, Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2000
Over75%ofallAfricanAmericansaren’teatingenoughfruitsandvegetablestokeepthemhealthy.
MOST AFRICAN AMERICANS NEED TO EAT MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY
African Americans are currently eating
Amount Recommended*
Additional servings needed to meet the goal
Kids ages 2 to 6 2 5 3Kids ages 6 to 11 3 7 4Teenage girls 3 7 4Teenage boys 3 9 6Woman 3 7 4Man 3 9 6
*Daily servings of fruits and vegetables recommended as part of a healthy, active lifestyle.
21Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
WHAT’S A SERVING? IT’S ALL IN YOUR HAND
Eating5to9servingsoffruitsandvegetablesadayisaloteasierthanyoumightthink.Many
people don’t realize how small a serving is. One serving of fruits and vegetables should fit in the palm
of your hand. When you see how small a serving is, you see how easy it is to eat 2 or 3 servings with
every meal.
A serving is:
•Onemedium-sizedfruit,suchasanapple,orange,plum,orpeach
•½cupofraw,cooked,canned,orfrozenfruitsorvegetables
•¾cup(6oz.)of100percentfruitorvegetablejuice
•½cupcut-upfruit
•½cupcookedorcannedlegumes,suchasbeansandblack-eyedpeas
•½cupofraw,leafygreens,suchaslettuceandspinach
•¼cupdriedfruit,suchasraisins,apricots,anddriedcranberries.
Activemenneed9servingsaday.Checkoutwhat9Adaylookslikebelowtoseehoweasyitis:
Morning
counts as 1 counts as 1Mid-day
counts as 2 counts as 1Evening
counts as 2 counts as 1 counts as 1
22 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
THE HISTORY OF SAVING LIVESSaving Lives is based on many years of successful programming in African American churches
across the country. Several resources were used to develop the Saving Lives set of curricula activities.
The primary source was the Body & Soul curriculum. The Body & Soul program was conducted in
churches of various sizes and denominations. The churches were located in urban, suburban, and
ruralareas.Regardlessofthelocationorsize,eachofthesefaith-basedprogramswashighlysuccessful
in helping church members eat more fruits and vegetables. Other programs used to inform the Saving
Lives program were:
•“BlackChurchesUnitedforBetter
Health” was a collaborative effort
among 50 African American churches,
the North Carolina Department of
Health and Human Services, Division
ofCommunityHealth,theDuke
Comprehensive Cancer Center;
the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service, the University of North
Carolina,localhealthdepartmentsandlocalCooperativeExtensionagents.Itwasafour-year
project funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute to the University Of North Carolina
Department Of Nutrition.
•“Eatforlife”wasacollaborationamongAfricanAmericanchurchesinAtlanta,GeorgiaandEmory
University. It was funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute.
•“SavingLives”wasdevelopedasapilotprogramincollaborationwiththeUniversityofAlabama,
UAOfficeofHealthandWell-Being,andtheUACollegeofCommunityHealth.Theprogram
combinesthemostsuccessfulcomponentsofhealthandwell-beingactivitiesthatarelikelytobe
adopted across church congregations.
Saving Lives Initiativea university faith-based initiative for health and well-being
23Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
APPENDIx A: PLANNING MATERIALS•ROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIESOFTHECHURCHCOORDINATORANDPLANNINGTEAM
•AGENDAFORFIRSTPLANNINGTEAMMEETING
•EDUCATIONALACTIvITYTASKLISTANDTIMELINE
•EDUCATIONALACTIvITYPLANNINGFORM
•EDUCATIONALACTIvITYFEEDBACKFORM—WHATDOYOUTHINK?
•HANDS-ONHEALTHANDWELL-BEINGACTIvITIES
•AUGUST2012|HEALTHCARESCREENINGAGENDAOFACTIvITIES
•FEBRUARY2013|WORKSHOP|APPOINTEDPILLS
•RESEARCHQUESTIONS
24 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHURCH COORDINATOR AND PLANNING TEAM
CHURCHCOORDINATORANDSLIADvOCATEROLE
TheCoordinatoroverseesandmanagesallaspectsoftheprogram.Insomecases,twoco-
coordinatorscanmanagetheprogramtoeasetheworkload.
COORDINATORRESPONSIBILITES
•GiveprograminformationtothePlanningTeam
•OverseeplanningofSLIwiththePlanningTeam
•KeepinregularcontactwiththeTeamallthroughtheprogram.Ensurethattasksarebeing
completed in a timely and successful way.
•Ensurefeedbacktotheclergy.
•EnsurethatcelebrationofSLIoccurs,andthatthosewhocontributedtotheprogramare
recognized.
PLANNINGTEAMROLE
•ThePlanningTeamisresponsibleforplanningandcarryingouttheprogram.
•ThePlanningTeamisalsoresponsibleforlinkingtheprogramtothecongregationandpastor.
PLANNINGTEAMRESPONSIBILITIES
•Holdregularmeetings
•Planspecificprogramactivities
•Identifyandrecruitvolunteers
•Overseeandmanageprogram
•Providefeedbacktothepastorandotherchurchleaders
•Ensurethattrackingandfeedbackformsaredone
•ParticipateincelebratingthesuccessofSLI
25Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
AGENDA FOR FIRST PLANNING TEAM MEETING
PRAYER
WELCOMEANDINTRODUCTIONS
OvERvIEWOFPROGRAM
•GoalsandbenefitsofSLI
•Reviewthe4pillarsofSLI
•PastoralLeadership
•EducationalActivities
•Achurchenvironmentthatsupportshealthyeating
•Peercounseling
GROUPDISCUSSION
•Benefitsofeatingmorefruit,doingdailyphysicalactivities,eatinghealthyandnutritionally
balanced meals, balancing emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
•Howhealthandwell-beingfitsintothechurch’smission
•HowSLIcanfitintothechurch’scultureandmission
TEAMROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIES
IDENTIFYRESOURCES
NEXT STEP
•Outlinetasksandtimeschedule
•Recruitvolunteers
•IntroduceSLItothecongregation
26 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY TASK LIST AND TIMELINEProgramKick-offDate:Closing Celebration Date:Committee Meeting Dates:
ACTIvITY DATE, TIME & LOCATION PERSONRESPONSIBLE
27Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY PLANNING FORMActivity:
Date:
Time:
Location:
Expected Attendance:
Contact Person Name:
Contact Person Phone:
Purpose of Activity:
IndividualsInvolved(e.g.speakers,volunteers):
Name:
Phone:
Role:
Promotional Invitation Plans:
Equipment and Supplies Needed:
RefreshmentList:
Other:
28 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY PLANNING FORMActivity:
Date:
Time:
Location:
Expected Attendance:
Contact Person Name:
Contact Person Phone:
Purpose of Activity:
IndividualsInvolved(e.g.speakers,volunteers):
Name:
Phone:
Role:
Promotional Invitation Plans:
Equipment and Supplies Needed:
RefreshmentList:
Other:
29Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY PLANNING FORMActivity:
Date:
Time:
Location:
Expected Attendance:
Contact Person Name:
Contact Person Phone:
Purpose of Activity:
IndividualsInvolved(e.g.speakers,volunteers):
Name:
Phone:
Role:
Promotional Invitation Plans:
Equipment and Supplies Needed:
RefreshmentList:
Other:
30 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
WHAT DID YOU THINK?NameofEvent,Class,orWorkshop:
Howwouldyouratethisactivity?PickOne:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Whatdidyoulikemost?
What would you change?
Whatothertypesofactivitieswouldyouliketoseeatthechurch?
Other comments
31Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HOW DID WE DO?College Hill Baptist Church | (Hosted at University Church of Christ) 1200 Julia Tutwiler Drive, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35404 | Participant Survey
Health Care ScreeningDate: Saturday, August 18, 2012Time:10:30a.m.-1:30p.m.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
How would you rate the Health Screening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Whatdidyoulikemost?
What would you change?
Didthisworkshopprovideyouwithanynewinformation?YesNoIf so, what?
Whatothertypesofactivitieswouldyouliketoseeatthechurch?
Other comments:
32 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HOW DID WE DO?College Hill Baptist Church | (Hosted at University Church of Christ) 1200 Julia Tutwiler Drive, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35404 | Participant Survey
Health Care ScreeningDate: Saturday, August 18, 2012Time:10:30a.m.-1:30p.m.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2 (NIV)
Howwouldyouratethepre-planningsessionsusedtopreparefortheHealthScreening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
HowwouldyourateyourknowledgeofwhatisexpectedfromanSLAdvocateduringtheHealthScreening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Howwouldyouratethewalk-throughforthehealthscreeningsconductedbyamemberofthePlanningTeam?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
How would you rate the communication from the SL Planning Team?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
HowwouldyouratetheSLvolunteers(feedbackfromtheHealthScreeningCoachesandCounselors;healthcareprofessionalsorstudentswhotookyourbloodpressure,bodymassindex,bloodglucoselevel,etc.)?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Whatwouldyoulikeustochange(howcanweimprove)?
Other comments:
33Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HOW DID WE DO?First African Baptist Church | 2621 Stillman Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401Participant Survey
Health Care ScreeningDate: Saturday, August 18, 2012Time:10:30a.m.-1:30p.m.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
How would you rate the Health Screening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Whatdidyoulikemost?
What would you change?
Didthisworkshopprovideyouwithanynewinformation?YesNoIf so, what?
Whatothertypesofactivitieswouldyouliketoseeatthechurch?
Other comments:
34 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HOW DID WE DO?First African Baptist Church | 2621 Stillman Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401SL Advocate Feedback for SL Planning Team
Health Care ScreeningDate: Saturday, August 18, 2012Time:10:30a.m.-1:30p.m.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2 (NIV)
Howwouldyouratethepre-planningsessionsusedtopreparefortheHealthScreening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
HowwouldyourateyourknowledgeofwhatisexpectedfromanSLAdvocateduringtheHealthScreening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Howwouldyouratethewalk-throughforthehealthscreeningsconductedbyamemberofthePlanningTeam?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
How would you rate the communication from the SL Planning Team?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
HowwouldyouratetheSLvolunteers(feedbackfromtheHealthScreeningCoachesandCounselors;healthcareprofessionalsorstudentswhotookyourbloodpressure,bodymassindex,bloodglucoselevel,etc.)?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Whatwouldyoulikeustochange(howcanweimprove)?
Other comments:
35Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HOW DID WE DO?Plum Grove Baptist Church | 2822 Foster Ferry Road, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401Participant Survey
Health Care ScreeningDate: Saturday, August 25, 2012Time:10:00a.m.-1:00p.m.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
How would you rate the Health Screening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Whatdidyoulikemost?
What would you change?
Didthisworkshopprovideyouwithanynewinformation?YesNoIf so, what?
Whatothertypesofactivitieswouldyouliketoseeatthechurch?
Other comments:
36 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HOW DID WE DO?Plum Grove Baptist Church | 2822 Foster Ferry Road, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401SL Advocate Feedback for SL Planning Team
Health Care ScreeningDate: Saturday, August 18, 2012Time:10:30a.m.-1:30p.m.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2 (NIV)
Howwouldyouratethepre-planningsessionsusedtopreparefortheHealthScreening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
HowwouldyourateyourknowledgeofwhatisexpectedfromanSLAdvocateduringtheHealthScreening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Howwouldyouratethewalk-throughforthehealthscreeningsconductedbyamemberofthePlanningTeam?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
How would you rate the communication from the SL Planning Team?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
HowwouldyouratetheSLvolunteers(feedbackfromtheHealthScreeningCoachesandCounselors;healthcareprofessionalsorstudentswhotookyourbloodpressure,bodymassindex,bloodglucoselevel,etc.)?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor
Whatwouldyoulikeustochange(howcanweimprove)?
Other comments:
37Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
THE CHURCH’S COMMITMENT TO GOOD HEALTHA PLEDGE
JUSTASTHECHURCHNOURISHESOURSPIRIT—WEMUSTALSONOURISHOUR
BODIES
All members of __________________________________________________(name of church) have
a responsibility to care for their bodies as temples of God. Healthy minds and spirits need healthy
bodies, healthy diets, regular physical activity, and preventive medical care.
Therefore, ____________________________________ (name of church) will participate in the SLI
program. Our goal is to inspire church leaders and congregational members to adopt nutritious food
practices-especially,eating5to9servingsoffruitsandvegetablesperdayandexercisingforatleast20
minutes per day.
Our SLI program will consist of:
•Akick-offon______________________________date
•Activitiesthatteachabouthealthyeatingandgoodhealthatleasttwiceamonthforthedurationof
the program
•Opportunitiestotryfruitsandvegetablesandtoparticipateinexerciseclassesatchurch
•Fruitsandvegetablesservedatchurchfunctions
The church commits to establishing and maintaining a Planning Team to plan and manage
these activities. The team will be coordinated by______________________________ (name of
coordinator).
Thechurch’smissionissoulsalvation(Matthew28:19-20,Romans10:9-10).Wemustallfocuson
our bodies.
________________________________________________________
Signature of Pastor
38 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
HANDS-ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ACTIVITIES
HEALTHLITERACYTOOLS
There are numerous health literacy performance
based assessment tools available for to the
SLI program. Many of the literacy assessment
instruments are performance based. Performance
based assessment instruments align with educational
activities that are hands on and activity based. Below
are 3 health literacy tools that the SLI program will
use in the pilot.
The Newest Vital Sign Literary Assessment
is a new tool designed by Pfizer (www.
pfizerhealthliteracy.com)inFebruary2011toquickly
andsimplyassessapatient’shealthliteracyskills.
It can be administered in only 3 minutes and is
available in English and Spanish.
The patient is given a specially designed ice
creamnutritionlabeltoreviewandisaskedaseries
of questions about it. Based on the number of
correct answers, health care providers can assess the
patient’s health literacy level and adjust the way they
communicate to ensure patient understanding. The
use of an ice cream label is especially relevant as
recent research in the American Journal of Preventive
Medicine (November 2006) has shown that poor
comprehension of food labels correlates highly with
low-levelliteracyandnumeracyskills.However,the
study found that even patients with better reading
skillscouldhavedifficultiesinterpretingthelabels.
Whether reading a food label or following
medical instructions, patients need to:
•Remembernumbersandmakesimplemathematical
calculations
•Identifyandbemindfulofdifferentingredients
that could be potentially harmful to them
•Makedecisionsabouttheiractionsbasedonthe
given information
Improved communication can help increase
your patients’ ability to understand and act upon
the information you provide; ultimately improving
patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
How to use the New Vital Signs Assessment Instrument
1. Who and when to administer the Newest Vital
Sign.
A nurse (or other trained clinic staff) is the
preferred administrator of the Newest Vital Sign.
Administer at the same time that other vital signs are
beingtaken(atthehealthscreeningsessions).
39Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
2.Askthepatienttoparticipate.
A useful way to begin is to explain the assessment
using the script below:
“Weareaskingourpatientstohelpuslearn
how well patients can understand the medical
information that doctors give them. Would you
bewillingtohelpusbylookingatsomehealth
information and then answering a few questions
aboutthatinformation?Youranswerswillhelpour
doctors learn how to provide medical information in
waysthatpatientswillunderstand.Itwillonlytake
about 3 minutes.”
3. Hand the nutrition label to the patient.
The patient can and should retain the nutrition
label throughout administration of the Newest Vital
Sign. The patient can refer to the label as often as
desired.
4.Startaskingthe6questions,onebyone,giving
the patient as much time as needed to refer to the
nutrition label to answer the questions.
There is no maximum time allowed to answer the
questions. The average time needed to complete all 6
questions is about 3 minutes. However, if a patient is
still struggling with the first or second question after
2or3minutes,thelikelihoodisthatthepatienthas
limited literacy and you can stop the assessment.
Askthequestionsinsequence.Continueeven
if the patient gets the first few questions wrong.
However, if question 5 is answered incorrectly, do
notaskquestion6.
Youcanstopaskingquestionsifapatientgetsthe
first four correct. With four correct responses, the
patient almost certainly has adequate literacy.
Do not prompt patients who are unable to
answer a question. Prompting may jeopardize the
accuracy of the test. Just say, “Well, then let’s go on
to the next question.”
Do not show the score sheet to patients. If they
asktoseeit,tellthemthat“Ican’tshowittoyou
because it contains the answers.”
Do not tell patients if they have answered
correctlyorincorrectly.Ifpatientsask,saysomething
like:“Ican’tsharetheanswerstillyouarefinished.
Scoreof0-1suggestshighlikelihood(50%or
more)oflimitedliteracy.Scoreof2-3indicatesthe
possibility of limited literacy.
Scoreof4-6almostalwaysindicatesadequate
literacy.RecordtheNvSscoreinthepatient’s
medical record, preferably near other vital sign
measures.
40 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
Nutrition Facts Serving Size Servings per container
Amount per serving Calories 250 Fat Cal
1/2 cup
4
120
0% DV Total Fat 13g 20o/o Sat Fat 9g 40o/o Cholesterol 28mg 12% Sodium 55mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 30g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 23g Protein 4g 8%
*Percentage Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients: Cream, Skim Milk, Liquid Sugar, Water, Egg Yolks, Brown Sugar, Milkfat, Peanut Oil, Sugar, Butter, Salt, Carrageenan, Vanilla Extract.
41Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
SCORE SHEET FOR THE NEWEST VITAL SIGN qUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
READTOSUBJECT:Thisinformationisonthebackofacontainerofapointoficecream.
1. If you eat the entire container, how many calories will you eat? Answer: 1,000 is the only correct answer
2.Ifyouareallowedtoeat60gramsofcarbohydratesasasnack,howmuch ice cream could you have?
Answer: Any of the following is correct: 1 cup (or any amount up to 1cup),halfthecontainer.Note:Ifpatientanswers“twoservings,”ask“How much ice cream would that be if you were to measure it into a bowl?”
3.Yourdoctoradvisesyoutoreducetheamountofsaturatedfatinyourdiet.
Youusuallyhave42gofsaturatedfateachday,whichincludesoneserving of ice cream. If you stop eating ice cream, how many grams of saturated fat would you be consuming each day?
Answer: 33 is the only correct answer
4. If you usually eat 2,500 calories in a day, what percentage of your daily value of calories will you be eating if you eat one serving?
Answer: 10% is the only correct answer
READTOSUBJECT:Pretend that you are allergic to the following substances: penicillin,
peanuts, latex gloves, and bee stings.
5. Is it safe for you to eat this ice cream? Answer: No
6.(Askonlyifthepatientresponds“no”toquestion5):Whynot? Answer: Because it has peanut oil.
Number of correct answers:
InterpretationScoreof0-1suggestshighlikelihood(50%ormore)oflimitedliteracy.Scoreof2-3indicatesthepossibilityoflimitedliteracy.Scoreof4-6almostalwaysindicatesadequateliteracy.
yes no
ANSWER CORRECT?
42 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
TheRAALMisascreeningtooldesignedtomeasureadults’abilitytoreadcommonmedical
wordsorlaytermsthatcorrespondtoanatomyorillnesses.Asawordrecognitiontest,theREALM
does not assess comprehension. However, it is highly correlated with other tests of comprehension. It
takesapproximately3minutestoadministerandscore.
RAALM: Rapid Assessment of Adult Literacy in Medicine
43Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
AUGUST 2012 | HEALTH CARE SCREENING AGENDA OF ACTIVITIES
•Registration&Refreshments(9:00a.m.to10:00a.m.) o Door prizes for first registrant o Door prize for registrant arriving at 9:45 a.m.
•Orientation(10:00a.m.to10:30a.m.) o Prayer o Overview of video on the Saving Lives Initiative o Video on Health Literacy in the U.S. o Overview of confidentiality statement o Selection of screening order
•HealthScreenings(10:30a.m.to11:30a.m.)-basedonrotations oCholesterolScreeningStation-(10minutes) oBloodPressureScreeningStation-(10minutes) oGlucoseScreeningStation-(10minutes) o Physical Fitness Session – (15 minutes) o SLI What’s Next Session – (15 minutes) •Completingcontactinformationforms •DirectparticipantstoSLIwebpageforfeedback •Answeranyquestionsonnextsteps
•ClosingSession(10minutes) oClosingremarks o Affirmation o Prayer
•Adjourn
44 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
FEBRUARY 2013 | WORKSHOP | APPOINTED PILLS | WHICH ONES ARE YOU TAKING AND WHY?
“What did the Doctor Say?:” Improving Health Literacy to Protect Patient SafetyAn interactive one hour session on Patient Rights•Registration•Welcome•OverviewofWorkshopObjectives•Administerpre-assessmentonPatientRights(Didyouknow?)•EngagementActivity:Begintheconversationbyreadingthestatementbelow:
According to the Institute of Medicine, there is more to health literacy than reading and understanding health information. Health literacy also encompasses the educational, social and cultural factors that influence the expectations and preferences of the individual and the extent to which those providing health care services can meet those expectations and preferences. Health carepractitionersliterallyhavetounderstandwheretheirpatients“arecomingfrom”-thebeliefs,values, and cultural mores and traditions that influence how health care information is shared and received.
•Askparticipantstodescribetheirinteractionswithhealthcareproviders.Recordparticipantsresponses on chart paper posted around the room.
•Breakgroupintogroupsof3(usethecountoffstrategy)•FacilitateJigsawactivitywhereindividualsineachgroupreadaoneparagraphoverviewofacase
(see example below)“Everything was happening so fast and everybody was so busy,” and that is why Mitch Winston, 66years-oldandsufferingfromatrialfibrillation,didnotaskhisdoctortoclarifythecomplexand potentially dangerous medication regimen that had been prescribed for him upon leaving the hospital emergency department. When he returned to the emergency department via ambulance, bleeding internally from an overdose of Coumadin, his doctor was surprised to learn that Mitch had not understood the verbal instructions he had received and that had ignored the written instructionsandordersforfollow-upvisitsthatthedoctorhadprovided.Infact,thesehadneverbeen retrieved from Mitch’s wallet. Despite their importance, they were useless pieces of paper. Mitch cannot read.
•Aftereachgroupreadsthecaseoverview,askthemtowritesomestrategiesonthelargepostcardsontheir table describing what the doctor and health care providers could have done to ensure that Mitch understood the doctor’s instructions.
•Allowtheteamstoposttherecommendations•Doacrosswalk•Allowtheteamstopresenttheirrecommendation•Facilitatorsumsupthesession•Participantstakethepostassessment•Prayer•Adjourn
45Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being
What is the impact of a university-community partnership for health literacy on the literacy skills and health behavior of individuals from rural low income communities? 1. Does using the church as an access point of entry and facilitator of health and well-being con tribute to increases in health literacy skills for rural lower income populations? 2. Does the deliberate use of culturally appropriate strategies contribute to increases in health literacy for rural residents? Probing questions will be created to answer this question. the key areas for the probing questions will be: a. interactions with the church b. responsiveness to the church c. conceptualization strategies d. implementation strategies — from awareness building sessions to the following: training sessions, capacity building; partnerships; workshops and seminars; evaluation; research; to sustainability.
RESEARCH qUESTIONS
46 Saving Lives — a university-faith based partnership for health and well-being