New York City faith-based leaders’ views on COVID-19’s impact on the mental health needs of Black/African American communities Journal Article
| Authors: | Roberts-Eversley, N.; Williams, T.; Hernández, R.; Lynch, K. A.; Wu, Y.; Rebollo, G.; Haider, F.; Udom, U.; Gany, F.; Lubetkin, E. |
| Article Title: | New York City faith-based leaders’ views on COVID-19’s impact on the mental health needs of Black/African American communities |
| Abstract: | This investigation sought to understand the mental health needs of Black/African Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the church leaders’ perspectives and experiences in supporting the mental health of their communities during this time. This exploratory qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews with 21 church leaders from predominantly Black neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Harlem, New York City (NYC), which were most adversely impacted by COVID-19. Neighborhoods were selected based on COVID-19 infection and mortality data from the NYC Department of Health. Transcripts were coded and thematically analyzed using Dedoose software. Four overarching themes and one subtheme emerged: (1) The COVID-19 pandemic amplified underlying community quality of life challenges, creating a “downward cascade” of mental health, (1a) COVID-19 is a source of collective grief and trauma; (2) Faith-based leaders play a key role in providing mental health support to their community; (3) Faith-based leaders seek strategies to reduce mental health stigma, normalize conversations around mental health; and (4) Faith-based leaders often operate in isolation from citywide mental health services, disconnected from existing programs and resources. Leaders anticipate a higher demand for mental health services. On the road to emotional wellness post-pandemic, public awareness of symptoms of mental health issues must be emphasized and available resources utilized to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking behavior. Addressing these implications requires comprehensive multi-sector community driven efforts that include collaboration with faith-based communities to support community resilience and improve mental healthcare access. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025. |
| Keywords: | mental health; community health; covid-19; faith-based leaders; nyc |
| Journal Title: | Journal of Community Health |
| Volume: | 50 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| ISSN: | 0094-5145 |
| Publisher: | Springer |
| Publication status: | Published |
| Date Published: | 2025-08-01 |
| Online Publication Date: | 2025-03-02 |
| Start Page: | 623 |
| End Page: | 627 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10900-025-01443-z |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Article -- Source: Scopus |
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