Collecting Health Data With Youth at Faith-Based Institutions: Lessons Learned

Abstract

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are ideal for health promotion but can present unique challenges in data collection. The present initiative included 6 years of awards to mostly small, rural, predominantly African American FBOs to conduct tobacco prevention lessons for youth in Grades 4-6 while they were attending summer Vacation Bible School. In 2005, these awards included $1,500 disbursed to 64 geographically diverse FBOs who had never before received this funding. Lessons learned include the following: Plan for evaluation in every aspect of the project; pilot-test everything; use reminders judiciously; make backup plans at every step; personally collect data in a nonthreatening way; and safeguard data entry. Evaluation requires extensive time, money, and effort; so, in both the intermediate and the long run, this extra work is worth it.

Shaking and Rattling

“…Reinert, Carver, Range, and Pike16 found that faith-based interventions are ideal for health promotion, but difficulties emerge when data are required for evaluation purposes. Reinert et al concluded that it is important to plan for evaluation in every step of the process, pilot-test all materials and procedures, personally collect data in a non-threatening manner, and make backup plans for every step.…”