{"product_id":"9781573567626","title":"Faith, Health, and Healing in African American Life","description":"\u003cp\u003eBlack Americans are more likely than whites to die of cancer and heart disease, more likely to get diabetes and asthma, and less likely to get preventive care and screening.  Some of this greater morbidity results from education, income level, and environment, as well as access to healthcare.  Yet, even the traditional medical model does not always allow for a holistic approach that takes into account the body, the mind, the spirit, the family, and the community.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis book offers a better understanding of the varieties of religiously based approaches to healing and altrnative models of healing and health found in black communities in the United States.  Contributors address the communal aspects of faith and health and explore the contexts in which individuals make choices about their health, the roles institutions play in shaping these decisions, and the practices individuals engage in when seeking better health or coping with the health they have.  By paying attention to the role of faith and spirit, the book offers a fuller sense of the varieities of ways black health and healthcare are perceived and addressed.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eCommunity and religion-based initiatives have emerged as one key way to address the health challenges found in the African American community.  In cities such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, and Oakland, residents organize exercise groups, teach one another how to cook with healthy ingredients, and encourage neighbors to get regular checkups.  Churches have become key sites for health education, screening, and testing.  Another set of responses to the challenge of black health and healthcare in the United States come from those who emphasize the body as a whole—body, mind, soul, and spirit, often drawing on religious traditions such as Islam and African-based religions such as Spiritism, Santeria,Vodun (a.k.a. Voodoo), and Candomblé.  Understanding these issues and approaches to care is essential to combating the problems.  This unique volume sheds light on areas that are often overlooked.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ABC-CLIO, Incorporated","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47150193737968,"sku":"9781573567626","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781573567626_p0.jpg?v=1763793369","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781573567626","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}