Health and the black church.

The purpose of this review is to provide the reader with a religiously based examination of the literature that may suggest a relationship between Black people and their health behavior. Comparisons are made that suggest a relationship between increases in church attendance and a decrease in blood pressure, stress, coronary health disease, and promiscuity. This review is broken down into four areas: 1) Historical and philosophical; 2) church attendance; 3) the church as a depositor of health information, and 4) scriptural influence and related literature. Scriptural references are provided that support the dialogue over health behavior and the church. There are numerous health references within all 66 books of the Bible. The Black church, as with so many other race classifications, supports the notion of presenting itself as a depositor of health information. However, the literature does suggest some resistance to the actual receiving of health care. This review of the literature emphasizes using Scripture as a basis for giving health information to church attendees. Resistance to health care among certain ethnic minorities may be lessened with the use of the church, and of health-related Scripture. This review suggests possibilities for further research and provides a scriptural road map for the dissemination of different health topics using Bible as a source.