219290 Healthy Heart Healthy Family: Findings of A NHLBI/HRSA Collaborative For Filipinos in Hawaii

Monday, November 8, 2010

Ritabelle Fernandes, MD, MPH , Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Honolulu, HI
Yolanda Padua, BS , Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Honolulu, HI
Sharonne Ancheta, RN , Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Honolulu, HI
Merlita Compton, MPH , Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Honolulu, HI
Jo-hsi Wang , Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Honolulu, HI
Sheryl Yoshimura, RD , Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Honolulu, HI
Cynthia Sturdevant, MD, MPH , Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Honolulu, HI
Kathryn L. Braun, DrPH , Public Health, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
Background: Prevalence of and mortality rates from cardiovascular disease are high among Filipino Americans. Objective: Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, a federally qualified community health center in Honolulu, Hawaii, collaborated with NHLBI to test the impact of the Healthy Heart Healthy Family curriculum facilitated by community health workers on Filipinos with cardiovascular disease risk factors. Methods: From 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009, 11 Filipino community health workers were trained to deliver the 11-session curriculum. We enrolled 115 Filipino adults with cardiovascular disease risk factors in 6 groups, each with 2 facilitators. We provided monthly activities following the sessions. Knowledge and clinical measures were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Results: Most (85%) of participants were women; the mean age was 68 years. At 6 months, we observed an increase in the number of participants taking antihypertensive medications and a decrease in systolic blood pressure from 130 to 126 (p=.03). At 12 months, we found significant decreases in mean total cholesterol from 175 to 163, (p=.007), in percentage told by their physician they have pre-diabetes (p=.06), and in mean fasting glucose from 112 to 105, (p=.04). Post-test knowledge and satisfaction among participants was high. Conclusions: Community health workers have cultural and bilingual tools for building trust and serving as health care navigators. We demonstrated that they can be trained to deliver evidence-based curricula and facilitate improvements to cardiovascular health in Filipino Americans.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the Healthy Heart Healthy Family curriculum, a new educational model for community health workers developed by NHLBI. 2. Identify the important roles played by community health workers in the delivery of health care. 3. Describe strategies to improve the health of persons with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Keywords: Community Health, Chronic (CVD)

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Principal Investigator for this project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.