Enhancing organizational capacity to provide cancer control programs among Latino churches: design and baseline findings of the CRUZA Study

Engaging Faith-Based Organizations to Promote Health Through Health Ministries in Washington, DC

This article describes capacity building and formative assessments completed at five faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Washington, DC to inform sustainable health promotion programming led by certified health ministers. Five FBO partners were recruited with two congregation members from each FBO completing a health minister certificate program. A series of health assessments were conducted to assess each FBO's capacity to implement evidence-based lifestyle change programs that are responsive to congregation members' health needs. Results indicated a need for programming to support older adults in managing high blood pressure and arthritis. Health ministers represent a significant opportunity for building capacity within FBOs to deliver programming that can improve health outcomes.

Assessing the Feasibility of a Faith-Based Colorectal Cancer Education and Screening Intervention for Latino Men in Pennsylvania

Introduction: Limited health knowledge, literacy, engagement in preventive health services, participation in health promotion behaviors, and cultural factors place Latino men at high risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). This pilot study aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a faith-based cancer education intervention focusing on Latino men between 45 and 74 years old. Methods: This pilot study used a single group pre- and post-intervention research design to compare changes in knowledge, perceived benefit of screening, perceived susceptibility and severity of CRC, and the completion of CRC screening after the intervention. Results: In this study, Latino men were willing to participate in a CRC educational intervention supported by a faith-based institution. The participants had limited knowledge about CRC, yet most recognized that screening is beneficial and that getting CRC is serious. Sixty percent of the participants completed the fecal immunochemical screening test, which showed that the intervention impacted the screening uptake among this group. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the further development of faith-based interventions focusing on Latino men.

The role of organizational capacity in intervention efficacy in a church-based cancer education program: A configurational analysis

It is well-established in the field of implementation science that the context in which an intervention is delivered can play a crucial role in how well it is implemented. However, less is known about how organizational context or capacity relates to efficacy outcomes, particularly with health promotion interventions delivered outside of healthcare settings. The present study examined whether organizational capacity indicators were linked to key efficacy outcomes in an evidence-based cancer control intervention delivered in 13 African American churches in Maryland. Outcomes included increases in colorectal cancer knowledge and self-report colonoscopy screening behavior from baseline to follow-up. We used Coincidence Analysis to identify features of organizational capacity that uniquely distinguished churches with varying levels of cancer knowledge and screening. Indicators of organizational capacity (e.g., congregation size, prior health promotion experience) were from an existing measure of church organizational capacity for health promotion. A single solution pathway accounted for greater increases in colorectal cancer knowledge over 12 months, a combination of two conditions: conducting 3 or more health promotion activities in the prior 2 years together with not receiving any technical assistance from outside partners in the prior 2 years. A single condition accounted for greater increases in colonoscopy screening over 24 months: churches that had conducted health promotion activities in 1-4 different topical areas in the prior 2 years. Findings highlight aspects of organizational capacity (e.g., prior experience in health promotion) that may facilitate intervention efficacy and can help practitioners identify organizational settings most promising for intervention impact.

Qualitative Assessment of Key Implementation Factors in a Faith-Based Response to Intimate Partner Violence

BACKGROUND

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have a scant history in the literature of implementing intimate partner violence (IPV) initiatives, though many members of faith communities consider it an important issue. Furthermore, the limited studies on this topic have not explored organizational factors that are important in the implementation of such efforts.

PURPOSE

To investigate factors that influence the implementation of IPV prevention and response by one Catholic organization at both diocesan and parish levels.

METHODS

We conducted sixteen semi-structured interviews with members of Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach (ACDVO) leadership. Using deductive content analysis, we drew on all 14 constructs and sub-constructs from the inner setting domain of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) for coding transcripts and characterizing factors influencing implementation success.

RESULTS

Seven CFIR constructs were useful in identifying factors that influenced implementation success of ACDVO. At the diocesan level, the organization's leadership structure, their driven culture, and in-kind available resources propelled their work. At the level of parish ministries, successful implementation was facilitated by networking and communication among parishes. At the diocesan-level, access to knowledge and information through ACDVO's Parish Support Committee, compatibility with parish values, leadership engagement, and available resources from parishes supported implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified modifiable and reproducible inner setting factors that influence implementation of a Catholic IPV initiative at the diocesan-level and support parish ministries in their local activities. Future work should validate these findings in other dioceses and examine non-Catholic FBO settings.

Implementing health system improvement: resources and strategies for interprofessional teams

Health system improvement (HSI) is focused on systematic changes to organisational processes and practices to improve the efficient delivery of safe care and quality outcomes. Guidelines that specify how interprofessional teams conduct HSI and knowledge translation are needed. We address this urgent requirement providing health professional teams with resources and strategies to investigate, analyse and implement system-level improvements. HSI encompasses similar, yet different, inter-related activities across a continuum. The continuum spans three categories of activities, such as quality improvement, health management research and translational health management research. A HSI decision making guide and checklist, comprising six-steps, is presented that can be used to select and plan projects. This resource comprises six interconnected steps including, defining the activity, project outcome, aim, use of evidence, appropriate methodology and implementation plan. Each step has been developed focusing on an objective, actions and resources. HSI activities provide a foundation for interprofessional collaboration, allowing multiple professions to create, share and disseminate knowledge for improved healthcare. When planned and executed well, HSI projects assist clinical and corporate staff to make evidence-informed decisions and directions for the benefit of the service, organisation and sector.

M.I.C.A.H. Project HEAL: Sustainability of a Faith-Based Community Health Advisor Training Program in Urban Underserved Communities in the USA

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) can play an important role in improving health outcomes. Lay community health advisors (CHAs) are integral to these efforts. This paper assesses the sustainability of a CHA training program for congregants in African-American and Latino FBOs and subsequent implementation of educational workshops. The program is unique in that a health care chaplain in an academic medical center was central to the program's development and implementation. Forty-eight CHAs in 11 FBOs were trained to teach workshops on cardiovascular health, mental health, diabetes, and smoking cessation. Two thousand four hundred and forty-four participants attended 70 workshops. This program has the potential to be a model to educate individuals and to address health inequities in underserved communities. Health care chaplains in other medical centers may use this as a model for enhancing community engagement and education.

Evaluation of organizational capacity in the implementation of a church-based cancer education program

Implementation evaluations have increasingly taken into account how features of local context help determine implementation outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine which contextual features of organizational capacity led directly to the RE-AIM Framework implementation outcomes of intervention reach and number of days taken to implement, in an implementation trial of a series of cancer education workshops conducted across 13 African American churches in Maryland. We used a configurational approach with Coincidence Analysis to identify specific features of organizational capacity that uniquely distinguished churches with implementation success from those that were less successful. Aspects of organizational capacity (e.g., congregation size, staffing/volunteers, health ministry experience) were drawn from an existing measure of church organizational capacity for health promotion. Solution pathways leading to higher intervention reach included: having a health ministry in place for 1-4 years; or having fewer than 100 members; or mid-size churches that had conducted health promotion activities in 1-4 different topics in the past 2 years. Solution pathways to implementing the intervention in fewer number of days included: having conducted 1-2 health promotion activities in the past 2 years; or having 1-5 part-time staff and a pastor without additional outside employment; or churches with a doctorally prepared pastor and a weekly attendance of 101-249 members. Study findings can inform future theory, research, and practice in implementation of evidence-based health promotion interventions delivered in faith-based and other limited-resource community settings. Findings support the important role of organizational capacity in implementation outcomes in these settings.

Facilitators and Challenges to Health Promotion in Black and Latino Churches

BACKGROUND

Churches are important assets for the African American and Latino communities. They can play a critical role in health promotion, especially in areas that are under-resourced and in which residents have limited access to health care. A better understanding of health promotion in churches is needed to support and maintain church collaborations and health initiatives that are integrated, data-driven, and culturally appropriate. The purpose of this study is to identify churches' facilitators and challenges to health promotion and to contrast and compare Black and Latino churches of different sizes (< 200 members versus > 200 members).

METHODS

We interviewed leaders of 100 Black and 42 Latino churches in South Los Angeles to assess their history of wellness activities, resources, facilitators, and challenges to conduct health promotion activities.

RESULTS

Eighty-three percent of African American and 86% of Latino church leaders reported at least one health activity in the last 12 months. Black and Latino churches of different sizes have similar interests in implementing specific health promotion strategies and face similar challenges. However, we found significant differences in the composition of their congregations, number of paid staff, and the proportions of churches that have a health or wellness ministry and that implement specific wellness strategies. Fifty-seven percent of African American and 43% of Latino church leaders stated that they needed both financial support and professional expertise for health promotion.

DISCUSSION

Our findings highlight the importance of conducting a readiness assessment for identifying intervention content and strategies that fit the intervention context of a church.

Measuring capacity to use evidence-based interventions in community-based organizations: A comprehensive, scoping review

Introduction:

Community-based organizations (CBOs) are well-positioned to incorporate research evidence, local expertise, and contextual factors to address health inequities. However, insufficient capacity limits use of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in these settings. Capacity-building implementation strategies are popular, but a lack of standard models and validated measures hinders progress in the field. To advance the literature, we conducted a comprehensive scoping review.

Methods:

With a reference librarian, we executed a comprehensive search strategy of PubMed/Medline, Web of Science Core Collection, and EBSCO Global Health. We included articles that addressed implementation science, capacity-building, and CBOs. Of 5527 articles, 99 met our inclusion criteria, and we extracted data using a double-coding process

Results:

Of the 99 articles, 47% defined capacity explicitly, 31% defined it indirectly, and 21% did not define it. Common concepts in definitions were skills, knowledge/expertise, and resources. Of the 57 articles with quantitative analysis, 48 (82%) measured capacity, and 11 (23%) offered psychometric data for the capacity measures. Of the 99 studies, 40% focused exclusively on populations experiencing inequities and 22% included those populations to some extent. The bulk of the studies came from high-income countries.

Conclusions:

Implementation scientists should 1) be explicit about models and definitions of capacity and strategies for building capacity, 2) specify expected multi-level implementation outcomes, 3) develop and use validated measures for quantitative work, and 4) integrate equity considerations into the conceptualization and measurement of capacity-building efforts. With these refinements, we can ensure that the necessary supports reach CBO practitioners and critical partners for addressing health inequities.

Examining the external validity of the CRUZA study, a randomized trial to promote implementation of evidence-based cancer control programs by faith-based organizations

The CRUZA trial tested the efficacy of an organizational-level intervention to increase capacity among Catholic parishes to implement evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for cancer control. This paper examines the external generalizability of the CRUZA study findings by comparing characteristics of parishes that agreed to participate in the intervention trial versus those that declined participation. Sixty-five Roman Catholic parishes that offered Spanish-language mass in Massachusetts were invited to complete a four-part survey assessing organization-level characteristics that, based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), may be associated with EBI implementation. Forty-nine parishes (75%) completed the survey and were invited to participate in the CRUZA trial, which randomized parishes to either a "capacity enhancement intervention" or a "standard dissemination" group. Of these 49 parishes, 31 (63%) agreed to participate in the trial, whereas 18 parishes (37%) declined participation. Parishes that participated in the CRUZA intervention trial were similar to those that did not participate with respect to "inner organizational setting" characteristics of the CFIR, including innovation and values fit, implementation climate, and organizational culture. Change commitment, a submeasure of organizational readiness that reflects the shared resolve of organizational members to implement an innovation, was significantly higher among the participating parishes (mean = 3.93, SD = 1.08) as compared to nonparticipating parishes (mean = 3.27, SD = 1.08) (Z = -2.16, p = .03). Parishes that agreed to participate in the CRUZA intervention trial were similar to those that declined participation with regard to organizational characteristics that may predict implementation of EBIs. Pragmatic tools to assess external generalizability in community-based implementation trials and to promote readiness among faith-based organizations to implement EBIs are needed to enhance the reach and impact of public health research. Clinical Trial information: The CRUZA trial identifier number with clinicaltrials.gov is NCT01740219.

Cluster-randomized trial comparing organizationally tailored versus standard approach for integrating an evidence-based cancer control intervention into African American churches

The field of implementation science has devoted increasing attention to optimizing the fit of evidence-based interventions to the organizational settings in which they are delivered. Institutionalization of health promotion into routine organizational operations is one way to achieve this. However, less is known about how to maximize fit and achieve institutionalization, particularly in settings outside of the healthcare system. This paper reports on findings from a parallel cluster-randomized trial that compared an organizationally tailored with a standard (core components only) approach for institutionalizing ("integrating") an evidence-based cancer control intervention into African American churches. Churches randomized to the organizationally tailored condition identified three or more implementation strategies from a menu of 20, with an implementation time frame for each. The primary study outcome was assessed through the Faith-Based Organization Health Integration Inventory, a measure of institutionalization of health promotion activities in church settings, completed by pastors at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Seventeen churches were randomized and 14 were analyzed as 3 did not implement the study protocol. Though the percent increase in total integration score was greater in the tailored condition (N = 9; 18%) than in the standard condition (N = 5; 12%), linear mixed-effect models did not detect a statistically significant group × time interaction. Despite the challenges of integrating health promotion activities outside of healthcare organizations, the current approach shows promise for fostering sustainable health promotion in community settings and merits further study.

Correlates of Health Promotion in a Community Sample of African American Churches

Though many African American churches offer health promotion activities to their members, less is known about organizational factors that predict the availability of this programming. This study examines organizational capacity as a predictor of the amount and type of health programming offered by a convenience sample of 119 African American churches. Leaders completed a survey of health promotion activities provided in the previous 12 months and a measure of organizational capacity. Churches offered an average of 6.08 (SD = 2.15) different health programs targeting 4.66 (SD = 3.63) topics. Allocation of space and having a health ministry were positively associated with both the number of health programs and health topics addressed. When seeking to initiate health programming in an African American church setting, it is recommended that stakeholders partner with churches that have existing structures to support health promotion such as a health ministry, or help them build this capacity.

Key considerations for designing capacity-building interventions to support evidence-based programming in underserved communities: a qualitative exploration

Increasing the use of evidence-based programs (EBPs) in community settings is critical for improving health and reducing disparities. Community-based organizations (CBOs) and faith-based organizations (FBOs) have tremendous reach and trust within underserved communities, but their impact is constrained by limited staff capacity to use EBPs. This exploratory study sought to identify design and delivery considerations that could increase the impact of capacity-building interventions for CBOs and FBOs working with underserved communities. Data come from a community-based participatory research project addressing cancer disparities in Black, Latino, and Brazilian communities from Greater Boston and Greater Lawrence, Massachusetts. We conducted four focus group discussions with program coordinators in CBOs and FBOs (n = 27) and key informant interviews with CBO and FBO leaders (n = 15). Three researchers analyzed the data using a multi-stage coding process that included both prefigured and emergent codes. Key design considerations included embedding customized capacity-building interventions into community networks with local experts, supporting ongoing engagement with the intervention via a range of resources and communication channels, and addressing resource constraints. Regarding the contextual factors that should influence capacity-building intervention content, participants highlighted resource constraints, environments in which EBP use is not the norm, and challenges linking available programs with the multi-level barriers to good health faced by community members. Overall, the study highlights the need for integrated, long-term capacity-building efforts developed in partnership with, and ultimately sustained by, local organizations.

Wellness project implementation within Houston's Faith and Diabetes initiative: a mixed methods study

Background

Faith-based health promotion has shown promise for supporting healthy lifestyles, but has limited evidence of reaching scale or sustainability. In one recent such effort, volunteers from a diverse range of faith organizations were trained as peer educators to implement diabetes self-management education (DSME) classes within their communities. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with provision of these classes within six months of peer-educator training.

Methods

This study used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to identify patterns from interviews, observations, attendance records, and organizational background information. Two research team members thematically coded interview transcripts and observation memos to identify patterns distinguishing faith organizations that did, versus did not, conduct DSME classes within six months of peer-educator training. Bivariate statistics were also used to identify faith organizational characteristics associated with DSME class completion within this time frame.

Results

Volunteers from 24 faith organizations received peer-educator training. Of these, 15 led a DSME class within six months, graduating a total of 132 participants. Thematic analyses yielded two challenges experienced disproportionately by organizations unable to complete DSME within six months: [1] Their peer educators experienced DSME as complex, despite substantial planning efforts at simplification, and [2] the process of engaging peer educators and leadership within their organizations was often more difficult than anticipated, despite initial communication by Faith and Diabetes organizers intended to secure informed commitments by both groups. Many peer educators were overwhelmed by training content, the responsibility required to start and sustain DSME classes, and other time commitments. Other priorities competed for time in participants’ lives and on organizational calendars, and scheduling processes could be slow. In an apparent dynamic of “crowding out,” coordination was particularly difficult in larger organizations, which were less likely than smaller organizations to complete DSME classes despite their more substantial resources.

Conclusions

Initial commitment from faith organizations’ leadership and volunteers may not suffice to implement even relatively short and low cost health promotion programs. Faith organizations might benefit from realistic previews about just how challenging it is to make these programs a sufficiently high organizational and individual priority.

Organizational readiness for wellness promotion - a survey of 100 African American church leaders in South Los Angeles

BACKGROUND

Churches are an important asset and a trusted resource in the African American community. We needed a better understanding of their readiness to engage in health promotion before launching a large-scale health promotion effort in partnership with South Los Angeles churches.

METHODS

In 2017, we conducted surveys with leaders of 100 churches. Surveys were conducted face-to-face (32%) or by telephone (68%) with senior pastors (one per church) and lasted on average 48 min. We compared small (less than 50 active members), medium (50-99 active members) and large churches (at least 100 active members), and assessed which church characteristics were associated with the implementation of wellness activities.

RESULTS

Medium and large churches conducted significantly more wellness activities than small churches and were more likely to have wellness champions and health policies. Regardless of church size, insufficient budget was the most commonly cited barrier to implement wellness activities (85%). A substantial proportion of churches was not sure how to implement wellness activities (61%) and lacked volunteers (58%). Forty-five percent of the variation in the number of wellness activities in the last 12 months was explained by church characteristics, such as size of congregation, number of paid staff, leadership engagement, having a wellness ministry and barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Many churches in South Los Angeles are actively engaged in health promotion activities, despite a general lack of resources. We recommend a comprehensive assessment of church characteristics in intervention studies to enable the use of strategies (e.g., stratification by size) that reduce imbalances that could mask or magnify study outcomes. Our data provide empirical support for the inner settings construct of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research in the context of health promotion in African American churches.

Planning for Community Scale-Up of Project HEAL: Insights From the SPRINT Initiative

Project HEAL (Health through Early Awareness and Learning) is an evidence-based intervention rooted in health behavior change theory and aims to increase cancer awareness and early detection through African American faith-based organizations. This study explored the potential for broader scale-up and dissemination of Project HEAL with the team's participation in a training program called Speeding Research-Tested INTerventions (SPRINT). The SPRINT training was framed using tools from the Business Model Canvas and the Value Proposition Canvas to guide trainees in designing (1) compelling value propositions, (2) a minimal viable product, and (3) questions to gain critical insight from various stakeholders during a process called Customer Discovery. We report on our experiences and insights on intervention scale-up that we gained from the training, including key findings from 41 discovery interviews conducted with various stakeholders of the church. We learned several valuable lessons from the discovery interviews such as scale-up will likely be more incremental than immediate. Additional refinement is needed to scale up the intervention for "real-world" application, such as making our technology more user-friendly and including additional health topics beyond cancer. We discuss how insights from the training refined our plans for future scale-up and dissemination in a constituent-informed way.

Enhancing capacity among faith-based organizations to implement evidence-based cancer control programs: a community-engaged approach

Evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to promote cancer control among Latinos have proliferated in recent years, though adoption and implementation of these interventions by faith-based organizations (FBOs) is limited. Capacity building may be one strategy to promote implementation. In this qualitative study, 18 community key informants were interviewed to (a) understand existing capacity for health programming among Catholic parishes, (b) characterize parishes' resource gaps and capacity-building needs implementing cancer control EBIs, and (c) elucidate strategies for delivering capacity-building assistance to parishes to facilitate implementation of EBIs. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. Key informants concurred about the capacity of Catholic parishes to deliver health programs, and described attributes of parishes that make them strong partners in health promotion initiatives, including a mission to address physical and mental health, outreach to marginalized groups, altruism among members, and existing engagement in health programming. However, resource gaps and capacity building needs were also identified. Specific recommendations participants made about how existing resources might be leveraged to address challenges include to: establish parish wellness committees; provide "hands-on" learning opportunities for parishioners to gain program planning skills; offer continuous, tailored, on-site technical assistance; facilitate relationships between parishes and community resources; and provide financial support for parishes. Leveraging parishes' existing resources and addressing their implementation needs may improve adoption of cancer control EBIs.

Priorities, concerns and unmet needs among Haitians in Boston after the 2010 earthquake

In January 2010, a massive earthquake struck Haiti. The devastation not only affected those living in Haiti at the time but also those Haitians living in the United States (U.S.). Few studies have assessed the degree of impact of the earthquake in U.S. Haitian communities. The purpose of this study was to elicit information about health priorities, concerns and resources needed to improve the delivery of health and social care for Haitians in Boston, MA. We conducted six focus groups among 78 individuals in the spring of 2011. Participants were recruited through community organisations, including churches, Haitian social service centres, restaurants and by word of mouth. Analysis of qualitative data revealed an enormous psychological, emotional, financial and physical toll experienced by Boston-area Haitians following the earthquake. Participants described increased distress, depressive episodes, headaches and financial hardship. They also noted insufficient resources to meet the increased needs of those living in the U.S., and those who had immigrated after the earthquake. Most participants cited an increased need for mental health services, as well as assistance with finding employment, navigating the immigration system, and balancing the health and financial needs of families in the U.S. and in Haiti. Despite this, many reported that the tragedy created a sense of unity and solidarity within the Haitian community. These findings corroborate the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services, as well as for employment, immigration and healthcare navigation services. Participants suggested that interventions be offered through Haitian radio and television stations, as well as group events held in churches. Further research should assess the need for and barriers to utilisation of mental health services among the Haitian community. A multi-faceted approach that includes a variety of outreach strategies implemented through multiple channels may offer a means of improving awareness of and access to health and social services.

Dissemination of evidence-based cancer control interventions among Catholic faith-based organizations: results from the CRUZA randomized trial

BACKGROUND

The CRUZA randomized trial tested the efficacy of an organizational-level intervention to increase the capacity of Catholic faith-based organizations (FBOs) serving Latinos to implement evidence-based strategies (EBS) for cancer control.

METHODS

Thirty-one Catholic parishes were enrolled. Twenty were randomized to a "capacity enhancement" (CE) intervention and 11 to a "standard dissemination" (SD) condition. Each received a Program Implementation Manual and Toolkit of materials culturally adapted for FBOs with Latino audiences for five types of EBS recommended by the US Preventive Services Community Guide. CE parishes were offered a menu of capacity-building activities over a 3-month period, while SD parishes were provided a one-time consultation by an Intervention Specialist. Baseline and follow-up surveys compared the number and types of EBS offered.

RESULTS

At baseline, only one parish had offered any cancer-related program in the prior year, yet a third (36 %) had offered some other type of health program or service. At post-intervention follow-up, all parishes offered a greater number of EBS. The only statistically significant difference between CE and SD groups was the number of parishes offering small media interventions (90 % in CE, 64 % in SD; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

All parishes increased the number of cancer control activities offered to their members. These findings suggest that Catholic parishes may already have capacity to implement EBS if they are appropriately adapted and packaged and may only require low levels of support to carry out programming. Further research is needed to examine the extent to which program offerings continued after the period of grant funding.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01740219 .

Recruiting and Surveying Catholic Parishes for Cancer Control Initiatives: Lessons Learned From the CRUZA Implementation Study

BACKGROUND

We describe activities undertaken to conduct organizational surveys among faith-based organizations in Massachusetts as part of a larger study designed to promote parish-based cancer control programs for Latinos.

METHOD

Catholic parishes located in Massachusetts that provided Spanish-language mass were eligible for study participation. Parishes were identified through diocesan records and online directories. Prior to parish recruitment, we implemented a variety of activities to gain support from Catholic leaders at the diocesan level. We then recruited individual parishes to complete a four-part organizational survey, which assessed (A) parish leadership, (B) financial resources, (C) involvement in Hispanic Ministry, and (D) health and social service offerings. Our goal was to administer each survey component to a parish representatives who could best provide an organizational perspective on the content of each component (e.g., A = pastors, B = business managers, C = Hispanic Ministry leaders, and D = parish nurse or health ministry leader). Here, we present descriptive statistics on recruitment and survey administration processes.

RESULTS

Seventy-five percent of eligible parishes responded to the survey and of these, 92% completed all four components. Completed four-part surveys required an average of 16.6 contact attempts. There were an average of 2.1 respondents per site. Pastoral staff were the most frequent respondents (79%), but they also required the most contact attempts (M = 9.3, range = 1-27). While most interviews were completed by phone (71%), one quarter were completed during in-person site visits.

CONCLUSIONS

We achieved a high survey completion rate among organizational representatives. Our lessons learned may inform efforts to engage and survey faith-based organizations for public health efforts.