229635 Community heart health actions for senior Latinos at risk (CHARLAR)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 5:00 PM - 5:15 PM

Craig Kapral, MA , Prevention Department, Colorado Prevention Center, Denver, CO
Lisa Staten, PhD , Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Joseph Coll, PhD , Biostatistics Department, Colorado Prevention Center, Denver, CO
Colleen McMilin, MPH , Prevention Department, Colorado Prevention Center, Denver, CO
Darryl Perry, BS , Data Management Department, Colorado Prevention Center, Denver, CO
Raymond Estacio, MD, FACP , Community Health Services, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, CO
Although Latinos are known to have greater prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. obesity, decreased physical activity, high cholesterol and high fat diets), they are less likely than non-Latino Whites to receive blood pressure and cholesterol screening, smoking cessation advice, know their risk factor values, and be treated for hypertension. These facts leave this population vulnerable to CV disease and magnify the importance of delivering culturally appropriate prevention programs to an older adult (>50 years) Latino population growing at a rate three times that of non-Latinos. In partnership with local community-based organizations, the Colorado Prevention Center developed Community Heart Health Actions for Senior Latinos at Risk (CHARLAR). Employing a community-based participatory approach, participants receive pre-post CVD and diabetes screening, 12 weeks of promotora-led evidence-based prevention education, facilitation into local medical clinics and weekly walking groups. Of 240 participants enrolled, 127 (53%) completed at least 8 sessions of the 12 week program. We observed a mean decrease (95%CI) in the following: total cholesterol 11.5 mg/dl (3.0 - 19.9); systolic blood pressure 4.1 mm/Hg, (0.7 – 7.5); weight 4.0 lbs. (-1.0 - 9.0). Participants experienced a mean increase in: weekly fruit consumption 1.5 servings/week (-0.3 – 3.3); vegetable consumption 1 serving/week (-0.9 – 2.8). Lastly, mean number of correctly identified CVD risk factors increased by 2.5 (2.0 – 3.0). CHARLAR affords older adult Latinos in NW Denver access to culturally tailored evidence-based education which facilitates the adoption of heart healthy behaviors and improvement of risk factor profiles associated with CV disease.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the disparate proportion of cardiovascular risk factors among the Latino population. 2. Discuss the use of a community-based participatory approach to adapt, implement, and evaluate a promotora-led, evidence-based prevention curriculum.

Keywords: Community Programs, Latinos

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I direct the Community Heart Health Actions for Senior Latinos at Risk Program
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.

Back to: 4380.0: Latinos and chronic diseases