Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are ideal for health promotion but can present unique challenges in data collection. The present initiative included 6 years of awards to mostly small, rural, predominantly African American FBOs to conduct tobacco prevention lessons for youth in Grades 4—6 while they were attending summer Vacation Bible School. In 2005, these awards included $1,500 disbursed to 64 geographically diverse FBOs who had never before received this funding. Lessons learned include the following: Plan for evaluation in every aspect of the project; pilot-test everything; use reminders judiciously; make backup plans at every step; personally collect data in a nonthreatening way; and safeguard data entry. Evaluation requires extensive time, money, and effort; so, in both the intermediate and the long run, this extra work is worth it.
Alstead, M., Campsmith, M., Halley, C., Hartfield, K., Goldbaum, G., & Wood, R. (1999). Developing, implementing, and evaluating a condom promotion program targeting sexually active adolescents. AIDS Education and Prevention, 11, 497-512.
2.
Bush, G.W. (2001). President Bush's faith-based and community initiative . Retrieved August 2, 2005, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/mission.html
3.
Campbell, M., Motsinger, B., Ingram, A., Jewell, D., Makarushka, C., Beatty, B., et al. (2000). The North Carolina Black Churches United for Better Health Project: Intervention and process evaluation. Health Education and Behavior, 27, 241-253.
4.
Caucus seeks to bring faith communities and public health together. (1996). Nation's Health, 26, 15.
5.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ( 1999). Best practices for comprehensive tobacco control programs . Atlanta, GA: Author.
6.
Davis, J.A., Smith, T.W., & Marsden, P.V. (1999) General social surveys, 1972—1998 [Computer file]. Chicago: National Opinion Research Center (Producer). Storrs, CT: University of Connecticut, Roper Center for Public Opinion Research; Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (Distributors).
7.
Demark-Wahnefried, W., McClelland, J.W., Jackson, B., Campbell, M.K., Cowan, A., Hoben, K., et al. (2005). Partnering with African American churches to achieve better health: Lessons learned during the Black Churches United for Better Health 5 a Day project. Journal of Cancer Education , 15, 164-167.
8.
Duan, N., Fox, S., Derose, K., Carson, S., & Stockdale, S. (2005). Identifying churches for community-based mammography promotion: Lessons from the LAMP study. Health Education & Behavior, 32, 536-548.
9.
Feathers, J., Kieffer, E., Palmisano, G., Anderson, M., Sinco, B., Janz, N., et al. (2005). Racial and ethnic approaches to community health (REACH) Detroit partnership: Improving diabetes-related outcomes among African American and Latino adults. American Journal of Public Health, 95, 1552-1560.
10.
Foss, R.D. (1989). Evaluation of a community-wide incentive program to promote safety restraint use. American Journal of Public Health, 79, 304-306.
11.
Gelb, B.D., Boutwell, W.B., & Cummings, S. (1994). Using mass media communication for health promotion: Results from a cancer center effort. Hospital and Health Services Administration, 39, 283-93.
12.
Green, L.W., & Kreuter, M.W. (1999). Health promotion planning: An educational and ecological approach (3rd ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.
13.
Hautman, M.A., & Bomar, P. (1995). Interactional model for recruiting ethnically diverse research participants. Journal of MulticulturalNursing and Health, 1(4), 8-15, 27.
14.
Johnson, K., Noe, T., Collins, D., Strader, T., & Bucholtz, G. (2000). Mobilizing church communities to prevent alcohol and other drug abuse: A model strategy and its evaluation. Journal of Community Practice, 7(2), 1-27.
15.
Julian, D.A., Jones, A., & Deyo, D. (1995). Open systems evaluation and the logic model: Program planning and evaluation tools. Evaluation and Program Planning , 18, 333-341.
16.
Nicklas, T., Johnson, C., Myers, L., Farris, R., & Cunningham, A. (1998). Outcomes of a high school program to increase fruit and vegetable consumption: Gimme 5—A fresh nutrition concept for students. Journal of School Health, 68, 248-253.
17.
Olson, C.M. (1989). Health educators turn to Black community's leaders, organizations, and other strengths. Journal of theAmerican Medical Association, 261, 194-195.
18.
Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi. (2000 ). SWAT: A guide for SWAT mission leaders. Jackson, MS: Author.
19.
Pechmann, C., & Reibling, E. (2000). Planning an effective antismoking mass media campaign targeting adolescents. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 6, 80-94.
20.
Ransdell, L.B., & Rehling, S.L. (1996). Church-based health promotion: A review of the current literature. American Journal of Health Behavior, 20, 195-207.
21.
Reinert, B., Carver, V., Range, L., Bobrycki, L.A. (2004—2005). The logic model in action against tobacco use: A case study. International Quarterly of Community Health Education, 23, 7-24.
22.
Sly, D.R., Heald, G., Hopkins, R.S., Moore, T.W., McClosley, M., & Ray, S. (2000). The industry manipulation attitudes of smokers and nonsmokers. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice , 6, 49-56.
23.
Sutherland, M., Hale, C., Harris, G., Stalls, P., & Foulk, D. (1997). Strengthening rural youth resiliency through the church. Journal of Health Education, 28, 205-214.
24.
W. K. Kellogg Foundation. (2001). Logic model development guide. Battle Creek, MI: Author.
25.
World Health Organization. (1999). Meeting on tobacco and religion. Retrieved July 10, 2001, from http://tobacco.who.int/en/religion/religioneng.doc
