title: Health programs in faith-based organizations: are they effective?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the published literature on health programs in faith-based organizations to determine the effectiveness of these programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic literature review of articles describing faith-based health activities. Articles (n = 386) were screened for eligibility (n = 105), whether a faith-based health program was described (n = 53), and whether program effects were reported (28).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most programs focused on primary prevention (50.9%), general health maintenance (25.5%), cardiovascular health (20.7%), or cancer (18.9%). Significant effects reported included reductions in cholesterol and blood pressure levels, weight, and disease symptoms and increases in the use of mammography and breast self-examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Faith-based programs can improve health outcomes. Means are needed for increasing the frequency with which such programs are evaluated and the results of these evaluations are disseminated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Medicine, Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 6263 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-9067, USA. mark.dehaven@utsouthwestern.edu
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: DeHaven
authors.forename: Irby B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilder
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.forename: Jarett
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berry
mesh_terms: D006293:Health Promotion; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population