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Discussing Adolescent Sexual Health in African-American Churches

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the churches that collaborated with them. They would also like to acknowledge the W. K. Kellogg Health Scholars Program whose funding was instrumental in the success of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, E4614, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Terrinieka T. Williams

  2. Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Darcy Dodd

  3. YOUR Center, Flint, MI, USA

    Bettina Campbell

  4. Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA

    Latrice C. Pichon

  5. Department of Medicine, Health and Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

    Derek M. Griffith

Authors
  1. Terrinieka T. Williams
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  2. Darcy Dodd
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  3. Bettina Campbell
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  4. Latrice C. Pichon
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  5. Derek M. Griffith
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Correspondence to Terrinieka T. Williams.

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Williams, T.T., Dodd, D., Campbell, B. et al. Discussing Adolescent Sexual Health in African-American Churches. J Relig Health 53, 339–351 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9632-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9632-7

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