Open Access Research Article

A Rapid Assessment of Key COVID-19 Themes in African American YouTube Religious Sermons

Cheryl A Armstead1,3*, Godwin Mbamalu2,3 and James R Hebert 3

1Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, USA

2Benedict College Office of Research, USA

3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA

Corresponding Author

Received Date: May 04, 2020;  Published Date: June 16, 2020

Abstract

Background: As social distancing became a pervasive public health necessity during COVID-19 pandemic during the Spring of 2020, the exponential use of digital technology impacted the worldview and health behavior context of African American churches in unknown ways. Digital sermons may be among the most effective and necessary ways of reaching African American congregations regarding behavioral and cognitive strategies to remain healthy during the age of COVID-19. Our purpose was to conduct a rapid thematic assessment of digital sermon key content and to identify health promotion and content representing barriers to health embedded in digital sermons during the initial social distancing period of the COVID-19 pandemic between March and April 2020.

Methods: Our qualitative study of 17 randomly selected sermons indicates that digital church communication creates a viable messaging platform for churches during social distancing.

Results: Four main themes were identified in the sermons: (a) clarifying COVID-19 church health policies, (b) disconnectedness and reconnection (c) biblically based resilience and health self-agency, and (d) faith, fear, and health.

Results: Four main themes were identified in the sermons: (a) clarifying COVID-19 church health policies, (b) disconnectedness and reconnection (c) biblically based resilience and health self-agency, and (d) faith, fear, and health.

Keywords:COVID-19, African Americans, Religion, Rapid qualitative analysis, Digital sermons, Health behavior

Abreviation:SC: South Carolina; COVID-19: Corona Virus

Citation
Signup for Newsletter
Scroll to Top