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Organized Religion and the Fight Against HIV/AIDS in the Black Community: The Role of the Black Church

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African Americans and HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Religious faith and practices have long been an important consideration in health and well-being. Historically, religious institutions including the Black Church (i.e., any predominately African American religious congregation) have had important influences on public health and the practice of medicine (Chatters, Levin, & Ellison, 1998; Giger, Appel, Davidhizar, & Davis, 2008; Koenig, 2000). Over the last two decades there has been a resurgence of interest in the relationship between religion and health (Chatters, 2000; Ellison & Levin, 1998), because research has documented a correlation between religion and morbidity and mortality (Levin, 2003). There are over 1,200 published empirical studies of which 75–90% shows a positive association between aspects of religious faith and indicators of health ­status and emotional well-being at the population level (Koenig, McCullough, & Larson, 2001). Some of the most methodologically sophisticated, rigorously evaluated studies with the largest scope of health outcomes have been epidemiological studies of African Americans (Levin, Chatters, & Taylor, 2005). Levin et al. note that this body of work termed the “epidemiology of religion” contains findings showing associations between expressions of religiousness and mental health, psychological well-being, healthy lifestyles, health care utilization and health related outcomes. This is critical literature, given the growing disparities in HIV/AIDS particularly among disadvantaged (economically deprived/medically underserved individuals) African Americans and other racial/ethnic groups. Consequently, ­public health professionals are paying close attention to the unique and important role that religious and faith-based organizations such as the Black Church can play in addressing these disparities.

“ The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-37, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    Agatha N. Eke

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  1. Agatha N. Eke
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  2. Aisha L. Wilkes
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  3. Juarlyn Gaiter
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Correspondence to Agatha N. Eke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Preventi, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Clifton Rd, NE MS E-37 1600, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    Donna Hubbard McCree PhD, MPH, RPh

  2. Centers for Disease Control and Preventi, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Clifton Rd, NE MS E-37 1600, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    Kenneth Terrill Jones MSW

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Preventi, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Clifton Rd, NE MS E-37 1600, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    Ann O'Leary

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Eke, A.N., Wilkes, A.L., Gaiter, J. (2010). Organized Religion and the Fight Against HIV/AIDS in the Black Community: The Role of the Black Church. In: McCree, D.H., Jones, K.T., O'Leary, A. (eds) African Americans and HIV/AIDS. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78321-5_4

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