School of somethingFACULTY OF OTHERCentre for Religion and Public Life

Places of Worship as Settings for Black and Minority Public Health

Dr Emma Tomalin

Dr Joanna Sadgrove

Background

• The Centre for Religion and Public Life was approached by Health Improvement Specialist, Black and Minority Ethnic Groups Office of the Director of Public Health, Leeds (end of 2013)

• Required ‘academic rigour’ to underpin framework for the coordinated delivery of public health activity through a network of places of worship (PoWs) across the city working closely with religious leaders and congregations.

Objectives of the research

• To discover the attitudes of local religious leaders (RLs), congregations and public health (PH) staff in Leeds with regard to PH practice in places of worship

• To record PH activity at places of worship in order to document successful and innovative practice

• To work with PoWs in identifying health and well-being needs of their members and/or the local communities

• To explore the potential of working with PoWs to inform the development of a framework to address PH needs

Research activities and outputs

So far we have carried out:

•9 interviews with faith leaders

•3 interviews with public health actors

•1 interview with community organization

•2 focus groups

•online survey

Planned outputs:

•Report for PH Leeds

•Journal article

•Funding application(s)

What should the eventual framework include?

• Frequently asked questions

• Links to national and local policy

• Checklist for faith leaders and PH professionals

• Examples of best practice cases studies

• Links to funding