Signs of Health Intervention (SoHi): Addressing CVD Risk Among Deaf Adults Who Use ASL

Signs of Health Intervention (SoHi) is an innovative community based therapeutic lifestyle intervention focused on overcoming health communications barriers to promote CVD risk reduction in the Deaf community. The curriculum consists of classroom and community components taught entirely in American Sign Language (ASL) by a Deaf teacher, delivered to existing social groups of Deaf adults. SoHi focuses on heart-healthy eating patterns and promoting physical activity, especially walking with a pedometer. This is a quasi-experimental waitlist repeated measures pilot test of the feasibility and effectiveness of SoHi. Inclusion criteria are: at least 45 years of age, self-identify as part of Deaf community, fluent in sign language, no diagnosis of heart disease , and at least one risk factor for heart disease (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight or not enough physical activity). Baseline data for 68 community- living participants confirm that Deaf adults are at risk for CVD and would benefit from health behavior changes to reduce their CVD risk. The mean age for participants to-date is 62 years; 60% women, 94% white/non-Hispanic, 60% with high school or less. The majority are overweight/obese and relatively sedentary. At baseline, the mean triclyceride = 178 mg/dL (range 70-500), mean total cholesterol= 174 mg/dL (range 100-280), mean systolic blood pressure= 132 (range 93-200), mean diastolic blood pressure= 80 (range 50-121), mean glucose =92 (range 54-191). Data collection will be repeated immediately after completing SoHi and a third time three months later