Healthy & Sikh: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Health Promotion Intervention

Nearly half a million Sikhs live in the United States today. Much like any other physiologically unique group of individuals, Sikhs are affected by specific medical diseases more so than other diseases. The extant literature shows blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and cancer trend the research and most significantly impact the population. The research team hypothesized a deficiency in health literacy in the population and the positive impact a community-based intervention could have based on a preliminary needs assessment survey. A culturally-sensitive intervention promoting health awareness in Sikhs was conducted in Houston, TX. The “Healthy & Sikh: Wellness Fair” was a free health fair involving educational lectures, informational booths, and screenings for prevention and early detection of medical diseases. Identical pre-/post-surveys measuring participants' knowledge of various health-related topics were administered. Results were analyzed using T-test for difference in means. Limitations exist in that the instrument developed to measure health-related knowledge is not a comprehensive measure of health literacy. However, this measure does address all topics considered of primary importance based on previous published literature and were health education topics presented to participants during the course of the health fair. Preliminary findings suggest a statistically significant improvement in participant's health-related knowledge, thereby confirming the hypothesis. These findings reflect the positive impact of this health fair and need of health care professionals to continue to educate the Sikh population. Direct application of these findings can occur by medical professionals gaining a better understanding of how to care for and promote health in Sikhs.