title: "We Hide Under the Scriptures": Conceptualization of Health Among United Methodist Church Clergy in Kenya.
abstract: As community leaders, clergy are well-positioned to impact the health of their congregants. Clergy's conceptualizations of health influence their own self-care and how they minister to others. Interviews and focus group discussions on health conceptualizations and health-seeking behaviors were conducted with 49 United Methodist Church clergy in Western Kenya. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological methods. Participants defined health holistically using an environmental health model. Some participants reported not seeking health care so their congregants would believe that their faith kept them healthy. Participants who believed that health comes directly from God reported seeking health care less often. Participants also reported combining traditional indigenous medicine with Western medicine. This study has implications for health promotion among Kenyan clergy and offers the first study of health conceptualization among clergy in Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University, DUMC 104006, Durham, NC, 27710, USA. ngeorggi12@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nikki Georggi
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.affiliation: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Rae Jean
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Proeschold-Bell
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University, DUMC 104006, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.|Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benjamin-Neelon
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Sherine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adipo
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Theology, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Eunice
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kamaara
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology*; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007630:Kenya; D024382:Professional Role; D033303:Protestantism / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Clergy; Health beliefs; Health-seeking behaviors; Kenya; Religion