Cardiovascular disease prevention in Ghana: feasibility of a faith-based organizational approach.

OBJECTIVE To examine the feasibility of using community health workers (CHWs) to implement cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programmes within faith-based organizations in Accra, Ghana. METHODS Faith-based organization capacity, human resources, health programme sustainability/barriers and community members' knowledge were evaluated. Data on these aspects were gathered through a mixed method design consisting of in-depth interviews and focus groups with 25 church leaders and health committee members from five churches, and of a survey of 167 adult congregants from two churches. FINDINGS The delivery of a CVD prevention programme in faith-based organizations by CHWs is feasible. Many faith-based organizations already provide health programmes for congregants and involve non-health professionals in their health-care activities, and most congregants have a basic knowledge of CVD. Yet despite the feasibility of the proposed approach to CVD prevention through faith-based organizations, sociocultural and health-care barriers such as poverty, limited human and economic resources and limited access to health care could hinder programme implementation. CONCLUSION The barriers to implementation identified in this study need to be considered when defining CVD prevention programme policy and planning.