title: Apostolic faith church organization contexts for health and wellbeing in women and children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study explored contexts for health and wellbeing for women and children influenced by the structural behavior of an Apostolic faith church organization in Zimbabwe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three purposively selected members of an African indigenous Apostolic church (males = 12; females = 11; age range 22-95 years) were informants to a focus group discussion session. They provided data on the institutional behaviors that were culturally-historically embedded in the organization's activities. Data were analyzed thematically and using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) to foreground essential themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The church organization provided social capital to support health and wellbeing in members. However, the culturally embedded practices to minimize decision making by women and child members potentially compromised their health and wellbeing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that the structural activities of the church for health and wellbeing could also have the paradoxical effect of exposing women and children to health risks from obligatory roles.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Counselling, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, T-428, Cumberland, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australia. elias.mpofu@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mpofu
authors.forename: Tinashe Moira
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Dune
authors.forename: Denise Dion
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Hallfors
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mapfumo
authors.forename: Magen Mhaka
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mutepfa
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: January
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012067:Religion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult; D015030:Zimbabwe