The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #72906

Willette M. Crawford, BS¹, Mary Ann Littleton, PhD¹, Connie L. Kohler, DrPH², and Varena G. Stalker, MPA³. (1) Department of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, 149 Lamb Hall, Johnson City, TN 37614-1709, (423) 232-1535, wmcraw30@hotmail.com, (2) Department of Health Behavior School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, RPHB 227, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, (3) School of Public Health, Community Cove University of Alabama at Birmingham Center for Health Promotion, 1530 3RD AVE S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022

African Americans are impacted by the shortage of transplantable organs disproportionately to other ethnic groups. While African Americans in Alabama account for 26% of the population, they represent 60% of those awaiting kidney transplants. To address this disparity, a church-based Community Health Advisor (CHA) program was developed by the Alabama Organ Center and the Department of Health Behavior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health to increase African Americans’ intent to donate and to increase discussion of intent to donate among families in rural Alabama. This study presents results from a seven-week CHA training program developed to teach knowledge and skills related to healthy lifestyles, organ and tissue donation, individual and group approaches to promoting organ donation, and access of online registry. The training included personal and group-building skills related to CHA roles of educating church and community members on organ donation and planning organ donation awareness activities. Evaluation of the training program included pre/post evaluation of donation behaviors, donation and transplant knowledge, self-efficacy and behaviors related to CHA roles, and program satisfaction ratings and comments. Paired mean score differences showed significant increase in organ donation knowledge and behaviors related to CHA roles (n =11). Program satisfaction ratings revealed that participants reported all training aspects meet their needs and expectations. Results indicate that the church-based CHA training program can increase knowledge and behaviors related to promoting organ donation in the church community and has the potential to increase registry among rural African Americans living in Alabama.

Learning Objectives:

• After the session, participants will be able to:
• 3. Understand how organ shortage disproportionately affects African Americans in Alabama.
  6. Describe the church-based Community Health Advisor (CHA) program designed to promote organ donation.
  9. Describe the CHA training evaluation findings.

Keywords: Community Health Advisor, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.