255606 Walk Your Heart to Health: Preliminary Findings from a Community-based Participatory Approach to Promote Heart Health through Physical Activity in Detroit

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Amy J. Schulz, PhD , School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Barbara A. Israel, DrPH , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
Graciela B. Mentz, PhD , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Sharon Sand, MPP , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cindy Gamboa , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Deana Caver, MPH , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Detroit, MI
Cristina Bernal, MPH , Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
Gregoria Diaz , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Bernadine Hoston , Detroit Center, Detroit, MI
Kristi Washington , Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
Causandra Gaines, MSW , Brightmoor Community Center, Detroit, MI
Alisha Opperman, MSW , Warren/Conner Development Coalition, Detroit, MI
Angela G. Reyes, MPH , Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Detroit, MI
Zachary Rowe, BBA , Friends of Parkside, Detroit, MI
Sachiko Woods, BA , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan Detroit Center, Detroit, MI
Background. African Americans and Latinos experience excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and disproportionately reside in low-to-moderate income urban communities. We present preliminary findings from Walk Your Heart to Health, one component of a multi-level intervention designed to promote heart health through physical activity in Detroit, Michigan, a multi-ethnic low-to-moderate income community. Methods. Participants were assigned randomly into intervention or lagged intervention walking groups. Walkers met three times each week at a community site to participate in walks led by Community Health Workers (CHWs) who emphasized social support. Psychosocial and anthropometric data were collected at three points in time: baseline, 8 and 32 weeks after the start of the intervention. Walkers wore pedometers daily with steps uploaded at walking group sessions. We present preliminary findings for 557 walking group participants, assessing changes in steps, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and weight. Results. Mean number of steps per day among walking group participants at baseline (4,565) increased significantly at eight weeks (p=0.05) and remained significantly higher than baseline at 32 weeks (p=0.05). Results from multiple regression models indicate that for each additional 1000 steps per day, SBP was reduced by -0.5 mmHg (p=0.016) and DBP by -0.2 mmHg (p=.093). Total cholesterol, glucose and waist circumference also improved significantly. Conclusions. A walking group intervention facilitated by Community Health Workers, based at community organizations in a multi-ethnic low-to-moderate income community was effective in increasing physical activity and reducing CVD risk factors.

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

Learning Objectives:
Describe the walking group intervention designed through a participatory community planning process, and the lagged intervention designed developed to evaluate its effectiveness. Describe findings regarding the effectiveness of the walking group intervention in increasing steps, and in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure (primary outcomes), as well as total cholesterol, glucose and waist circumference among participants.

Keywords: Community Health Promoters, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the PI for multiple federally funded grants focusing on biological, behavioral and contextual factors associated with cardiovascular disease, and with the design, implementation and evaluation of multilevel interventions designed to reduce cardiovascular health disparities. The proposed abstract reports findings from one of those federally funded efforts, a multilevel intervention developed, implemented and evaluated under my direction in collaboration with community partners.
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.