Many of the risk factors for heart attack or stroke can be decreased with the proper medication and care. If you don't feel comfortable about going to the doctor you are out of luck, that's the problem some members of San Diego's black been -- community face, distressed with high rates of high blood rusher and diabetes. The distressed stems from the Tuskegee experiments that they'll to treat blacks infected with syphilis in the forced sterilization of black women. There's now an effort by local pastors to link faith-based communities with the medical community to help build trust. I spoke with two pastors taking part in a summit this week Reverend Gerald Brown and pastor William Benson founder of the total deliverance worship center. Pastor Benson what have you heard from some members of your congregation about perhaps, the distressed store not liking to go to the doctor? Traditionally the complaints are not treated as if our disease, high blood pressure or diabetes is such an alarming number, they don't feel the urgency in the doctor's behavior, if it's a disparity why is my appointment three months and four months in between follow-ups. When we see each other it's a tool or three-minute check the box type of visit. Medication that we can let alone spell or pronounce with dull care, is that agitation that we hear about. The behaviors on the medical side don't match the disparity. So Reverend Brown when some members of the African American community to get to the doctor , could they be quite sick? They really could be. We find ourselves leading all the major health disparities. Heart disease, diabetes, cancers and HIV's. When they go and deal with the doctor for the 10 or 15 minute time the doctor has to get them in, get them out, as pestered Benson has said describe medications. It becomes, what do I do and I don't understand. Especially among the elderly, you find them with bottles of medication not knowing what to take and when to take it. Often they don't take anything. Then you find them in another spot. Pastor Benson, why does the faith community have a role to play? Several reasons, one is that being a pastor for these congregants, it makes church service a little sluggish when everyone is sick. We have auxiliaries and ministries, if everyone is sick how can the church operate. It has a lot to do with their behavior and their outlook on life. It really brings a damper on something that is supposed to be celebratory and joyful. Reverend Brown, what kind of strategies are you trying to link faith-based communities and the medical profession? One you'll recognize is a summit of bringing faith-based and the medical community together to talk about some of the issues that are needed. Whether it's race, trust, we want to talk about those things amongst ourselves and who better than the pastors of local African American congregations , the church is been the nucleus of the African-American community whether it's Episcopalian, apostolic, Baptist, they've been the nucleus and have always come back to the church. The church has served as a place where they are looking to get spiritual healing and physical healing. Is one of the ideas bringing in the idea, not only physically bringing in doctors to the church but also bring the message of why it's important to take care of yourself. That's a good point. We've done some things already, we visited with doctors. We found as the pastors and the doctors begin to interact with the congregations, folks become at ease. They've seen each other, but now you are worshiping with me, you have time. All of that makes a difference in the care, complete care of the person being served. Pastor Benson have you seen progress? We have's had several programs, we do what they call a 90 day challenge and I like the way you express tell it's our responsibility or would be a good idea to an current -- Incorporated. We've done just that. We've made that conversation friendly. We've taken that topic from dark places and out of the closet and incorporated it into our service. Being a spiritual warmer -- warrior means you need to be physically and mentally able to fight off the enemy. We've seen medications being eliminated, diet, those who were having needle insulin reduced to healthy eating. We see a huge difference, because we've made that conversation available. I've been speaking with pastor William Benson a member of a panel that will take place on Wednesday. Reverend Gerald known as co-moderator on building trust and community clinic links as a heart attack and stroke summit this Wednesday in San Diego.
Some African-Americans say they don’t trust doctors and the wider medical community. They cite the decades-long Tuskegee experiments that failed to properly treat black men infected with syphilis and the forced sterilization of black women in the South.
Black pastors in San Diego say the mistrust means members of their congregations avoid preventative health care, exacerbating the community’s already heightened risks for heart disease and stroke.
“We have folks that won’t go to the doctor or won’t take their medication,” said the Rev. Gerald Brown, executive director of the United African American Ministerial Action Council. “They know the history of how we were test subjects for all types of experiments. We have a distrust with the community that we’re still getting over.”
But the pastors are working to rebuild that trust. Brown will lead a discussion Wednesday as part of Be There San Diego’s daylong summit on reducing heart attacks and strokes in the county.
One of the panelists will be William Benson, founder of the Total Deliverance Worship Center. Nearly every family in his congregation has a family history of heart attack or stroke, he said, yet it’s rarely been a topic of discussion during church. Benson has started introducing information about healthy eating and medication into Bible study classes led by nurses and practitioners that are members of the church.
“You talked about Genesis, Revelation,” Benson said. “Now we’re talking about high blood pressure.”
Brown and Benson joins KPBS Midday Edition on Monday to discuss other ways faith leaders are trying to improve their congregants’ health.
