Building Healthy Communities through Medical-Religious Partnerships

Foreword

Foreword With health care reform in the air, this is the perfect time for this book, which describes creative models of how to make health care available through medical-religious partnerships. It explains how these partnerships can work by an interdisciplinary approach modeled in the book itself. Its organization by major illnesses, with information on each disease, highlights its medical perspective, which is rare for this genre of books. Extensive resources, including agencies and books on each illness, help provide the information needed to develop effective collaborative models. Recent scientific studies have demonstrated the major role that religion can play in good health outcomes. In addition, patients and physicians are recognizing the importance of spiritual resources in the prevention of and recovery from illness. Congregations are seeing an expanding role in health care. A 2007 National Council of Churches survey of 6,000 congregations reported that 70 percent are engaged in health ministry. This favorable response is echoed by the authors’ studies of various denominations. The changing face of illness in the United States, from infectious diseases to more chronic illness plus the graying of our population, means that congregational support and educational programs are a key resource for long-term care needs as well as prevention strategies. The chapters on diabetes, dementia, mental illness, etc., specifically illustrate the congregation ’s role in addressing these and other illnesses. Providing accurate, clear, and accessible health information is only one step to prevention. Motivating people to act on it is difficult, and congregations can be outstanding partners in that regard. Illustrative and effective programs, some of which have received large grants, encourage others to undertake such ministry, which can help reduce the $2.4 trillion annual x foreword expenditures in the United States as well as reduce the number of uninsured Americans, now at almost 46 million (2007 figures). Some churches cannot undertake major programs, so the authors’ suggestions for modest projects—such as training patient advocates and offering respite care programs, screenings, support groups, and informational mailings—enable almost any congregation to become involved in meeting health care needs. One creative program for church members was a “living wills party,” hosted by a registered nurse in her home, which provided information and encouraged people to fill out an advance directive. There is a particular need for destigmatization of mental illness, which affects members of religious communities and their families in about the same proportion—that is, 30 percent—as the general population. In this book we find clear, unbiased information with specifics on congregational approaches to mental illness, including ways for encouraging open sharing about personal mental health issues. In addition to the chapters on disease, there are practical ones on advance directives and communicating with health care providers, a subject that touches many people. The section on lifestyle-related problems, addressed by exercise and diet, tobacco-cessation programs, etc., is brilliant , as all objections are answered with practical suggestions. This book is a resource for lay people, health care professionals, pastors , community agency staff, and many others who are committed to meeting the health-related needs of all people. The Rev. Dr. Abigail Rian Evans Charlotte W. Newcombe Professor of Practical Theology Princeton Theological Seminary ...