“Dear friend, I - CCBPccbp.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Saving-Lives...saving lives through |health literaCy a guiDe for your plaCe of faith anD worship “Dear friend, I pray

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


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:


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.


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


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.”


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.”


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.


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.



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


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.


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


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.


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


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.


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?


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


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.


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


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


APPENDIx A: PLANNING MATERIALS•ROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIESOFTHECHURCHCOORDINATORANDPLANNINGTEAM

•AGENDAFORFIRSTPLANNINGTEAMMEETING

•EDUCATIONALACTIvITYTASKLISTANDTIMELINE

•EDUCATIONALACTIvITYPLANNINGFORM

•EDUCATIONALACTIvITYFEEDBACKFORM—WHATDOYOUTHINK?

•HANDS-ONHEALTHANDWELL-BEINGACTIvITIES

•AUGUST2012|HEALTHCARESCREENINGAGENDAOFACTIvITIES

•FEBRUARY2013|WORKSHOP|APPOINTEDPILLS

•RESEARCHQUESTIONS


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


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


EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY TASK LIST AND TIMELINEProgramKick-offDate:Closing Celebration Date:Committee Meeting Dates:

ACTIvITY DATE, TIME & LOCATION PERSONRESPONSIBLE


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:



Date:

Time:

Location:






Name:

Phone:

Role:



RefreshmentList:

Other:



Date:

Time:

Location:






Name:

Phone:

Role:



RefreshmentList:

Other:


WHAT DID YOU THINK?NameofEvent,Class,orWorkshop:

Howwouldyouratethisactivity?PickOne:ExcellentGoodFairPoor

Whatdidyoulikemost?

What would you change?

Whatothertypesofactivitieswouldyouliketoseeatthechurch?

Other comments


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.


How would you rate the Health Screening?Pickone:ExcellentGoodFairPoor

Whatdidyoulikemost?


Didthisworkshopprovideyouwithanynewinformation?YesNoIf so, what?


Other comments:


HOW DID WE DO?College Hill Baptist Church | (Hosted at University Church of Christ) 1200 Julia Tutwiler Drive, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35404 | Participant Survey


“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:


HOW DID WE DO?First African Baptist Church | 2621 Stillman Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401Participant Survey




Whatdidyoulikemost?




Other comments:


HOW DID WE DO?First African Baptist Church | 2621 Stillman Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401SL Advocate Feedback for SL Planning Team









Other comments:


HOW DID WE DO?Plum Grove Baptist Church | 2822 Foster Ferry Road, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401Participant Survey




Whatdidyoulikemost?




Other comments:


HOW DID WE DO?Plum Grove Baptist Church | 2822 Foster Ferry Road, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401SL Advocate Feedback for SL Planning Team









Other comments:


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


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).


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.


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.


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?


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


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


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


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


Documents

“Dear friend, I - CCBPccbp.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Saving-Lives...saving lives through |health literaCy a guiDe for your plaCe of faith anD worship “Dear friend, I pray