Discussing adolescent sexual health in African-American churches.
This study describes the ways in which two African-American churches discuss adolescent sexual health topics. Six focus groups were conducted in two churches in Flint, Michigan, that reported no formal sexual health programming for their congregants. Three themes emerged to highlight the different perspectives about the role of churches in adolescent sexual decision-making and sexual health education: (1) churches as sources of sexual information, (2) churches as complex communities, and (3) recommendations for sexual education in churches. Participant responses suggest that churches can and should serve a resource for sexual health information. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, E4614, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA, tewillia@jhsph.edu.
Terrinieka T
TT
Williams
Darcy
D
Dodd
Bettina
B
Campbell
Latrice C
LC
Pichon
Derek M
DM
Griffith
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002835:Christianity / Q000523:psychology; D002977:Clergy; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data