Introducing Health Ministry in a Rural American Church

Abstract

Americans living in rural areas often encounter health disparities, due, in part, to lack of access to healthcare. Establishing health promotion programs in rural church settings presents opportunities for nurses and other healthcare professionals to serve their communities and live out Christian faith. This article describes a health ministry program that was successfully implemented in a small, rural church using the Healthy People 2020 MAP-IT framework.

Assessing Readiness for Telehealth in Rural Communities

“…Nursing has deep roots in patient advocacy, access to healthcare, and preventative care as evidenced by Lillian Wald's early 1900s Henry Street Settlement on the lower East Side of New York that reached out to the poor and disenfranchised (Buhler-Wilkerson, 1993). Abell and Blankenship (2019) affirmed, “It is imperative that healthcare professionals develop unique activities to aid in meeting the health needs of this [rural] underserved population” (p. 244).…”

Faith Community Nurses Key to Promoting Health in At-Risk Communities

“…An important area of focus for nursing is an increased emphasis on outcomes-driven educational actions in support of health promotion. Review results repeatedly highlighted the impact nurses—and more specifically FCNs—can have on the outcomes of at-risk populations by the regular incorporation of health education and supportive interventions (Abell & Blankenship, 2019; Austin et al, 2013; Cooper & Zimmerman, 2017; Harris, 2011; Opalinski et al, 2017; Pappas-Rogich & King, 2014). Several of the articles included in this review recognized an opportunity and role for collaborative partnerships between FCNs and faith organizations to improve health outcomes (Harris, 2011; Nam et al, 2019; Rowland & Isaac, 2014; Shackelford et al, 2014).…”

“…The ANA (2021) acknowledges the importance of faith and spirituality when caring for populations. However, nurses may be Blankenship, 2019;Austin et al, 2013;Cooper & Zimmerman, 2017;Harris, 2011;Opalinski et al, 2017;Pappas-Rogich & King, 2014). Several of the articles included in this review recognized an opportunity and role for collaborative partnerships between FCNs and faith organizations to improve health outcomes (Harris, 2011;Nam et al, 2019;Rowland & Isaac, 2014;Shackelford et al, 2014).…”

“…Review results repeatedly highlighted the impact nurses-and more specifically FCNs-can have on the outcomes of at-risk populations by the regular incorporation of health education and supportive interventions (Abell & Several studies outline the importance of faith leaders' role in achieving effective outcomes for health initiatives. A common theme across multiple studies was the importance of faith leader endorsement or buy-in (Abell & Blankenship, 2019;Austin et al, 2013;Baruth et al, 2015;Cooper & Zimmerman, 2017;Kegler et al, 2010). Baruth et al (2015) investigated faith leaders' perceptions on their influence on congregational health, finding that the involvement of faith leaders in health activities contributed significantly to improved participation and positive health outcomes.…”