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Empowering Communities Through Digital Health: The Techquity by FAITH! Digital Health Advocate Training

Transforming Lives with Digital Health Advocacy

The Mayo Clinic’s FAITH! (Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Health) Program, with training support from the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), recently completed the second phase of the groundbreaking Techquity by FAITH! initiative. This phase of the Techquity by FAITH! study focused on training Digital Health Advocates (DHAs) to promote cardiovascular health and digital readiness in their communities as part of a broader effort to integrate mobile health (mHealth) interventions into underserved populations.

Building Community-Centered Advocacy

Through collaboration with African American churches in the Rochester and Minneapolis-St. Paul areas of Minnesota, 20 participants were recruited for the DHA training program. The training, drew upon the ABC Community Health Advocate Training (CHAT) curriculum and evidence-based, culturally tailored materials aligned with the NHLBI Community Health Worker Health Initiative – designed to meet the unique needs of the community.

Over five weeks, participants engaged in four virtual sessions and one in-person session, blending didactic learning, experiential activities, and role-play exercises. They honed their skills in cardiovascular health promotion and digital health readiness, with additional catch-up sessions provided to ensure accessibility for all.

Success and Next Steps

Participants successfully completed a post-training assessment, earning certificates and advancing to the next phase of the initiative—the Techquity by FAITH! Trial. To prepare for their critical role in this phase, participants received access to the Digital Health Equity (DHE) toolkit, a resource co-created with community members during the study’s initial phase.

This innovative program equips community leaders with the tools to improve cardiovascular health and empowers them to bridge the digital divide, ensuring equitable access to digital health solutions.

Stay tuned as we continue to share the impact of this initiative and its potential to transform communities by fostering health equity and digital inclusion.

👉 Check out photos from the program here.

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