Religious Leaders’ Perspectives on Rural Communities’ Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the USA

The COVID-19 pandemic posed risks to the health and wellness of individuals and communities. Qualitative interviews based on the health belief model were conducted to gain insight into the perspectives of 17 leaders serving in rural Christian, Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim communities in the USA rega...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion and health 2024-02, Vol.63 (1), p.725-740
Main Authors: Hopgood, Daniel A., Cunningham, Kendrah, Chertok, Ilana R. Azulay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Anxiety
Christianity
Clinical Psychology
Community
COVID-19
COVID-19 vaccines
Data analysis
Demographics
Disease transmission
Faith
Humans
Interviews
Islam
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Nursing schools
Original Paper
Pandemics
Public Health
Religion
Religious Studies
Rural areas
Rural Population
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Summary:The COVID-19 pandemic posed risks to the health and wellness of individuals and communities. Qualitative interviews based on the health belief model were conducted to gain insight into the perspectives of 17 leaders serving in rural Christian, Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim communities in the USA regarding their communities’ responses during the pandemic. Nine themes emerged from the narrative data using phenomenological thematic analysis: Some people are more susceptible, Test of faith, Fear and anxiety, Staying connected, Will people follow the protocols? Science and faith can co-exist , Responsibility to self and others, We’ve had to adjust, and We’ve had to dispense of that. The religious leaders provided support and hope, adapted religious and social activities, and used faith and religious tenets as foundational principles to encourage compliance with health recommendations.
ISSN:0022-4197
1573-6571
DOI:10.1007/s10943-023-01933-1