| Abstract: | In-depth structured interviews were conducted with spokespeople for 176 inner-city churches regarding perceptions of existing community problems, number of currently offered church-based social and health programs, and potential interest in church sponsorship of new maternal and child health programs. The sample of respondents represented 78% of the 227 churches located in a low-income, primarily black urban area with 150,000 residents. The typical church participating in the survey was Baptist with a congregation of 100 to 500 people, most of whom were not community residents. The leading community problems identified by the clergy were, in descending order: lack of jobs, teenage pregnancy, gang crime, school drop-outs, and hunger. The perception of community problems matched the church services offered as measured by the number of food and clothing pantries. Few churches had ongoing programs for neighborhood youths. Although many of these same churches expressed interest in expanding services for mothers, adolescents and children, few perceived themselves as having the necessary staff, funds, or technical expertise to conduct such programs.Lynn M. Olson, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor, Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research. Northwestern University, 2040 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208.Janet Reis, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor, School of Nursing. State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York.Larry Murphy, Ph.D. is Associate Professor, Institute for Black Religious Research. Garrett-Evangelican Seminary, Evanston, Illinois.Jennifer H. Gehm, B.A. is Research Analyst, Center for Health Economics Research, Boston, Massachusetts.This work is supported in part by grants to the Center for Health Services and Policy Research, Northwestern University; The Ford Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; and The Field Foundation of Illinois. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 1986. |
