Preventing Chronic Disease
Volume 16, Issue 8, 2019

A faith-based intervention to reduce blood pressure in underserved metropolitan New York immigrant communities (Article) (Open Access)

Yi S.S.* , Wyatt L.C. , Patel S. , Choy C. , Dhar R. , Zanowiak J.M. , Chuhan H. , Taher M.D. , Garcia M. , Kavathe R. , Kim S. , Kwon S.C. , Islam N.S.
  • a Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • b Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • c Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • d Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • e Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • f Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • g California State University, Fullerton, CA, United States
  • h Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • i Kalusugan Coalition, Woodside, NY, United States
  • j United Sikhs, New York, NY, United States
  • k Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc, New York, NY, United States
  • l Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • m Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States

Abstract

Minority populations, including Asian Americans, face disparities in hypertension compared with non-Hispanic whites. This underscores the need for culturally adapted programs in settings that reach Asian American communities, such as faith-based organizations. We worked collaboratively with community partners to culturally adapt and implement an evidence-based community blood pressure monitoring program for Asian Americans (Asian Indians, Koreans, Filipinos, and Bangladeshis) in metropolitan New York during 2015 and 2016. The program included regularly scheduled volunteer-led screening and counseling events with congregants at faith-based organizations. Among participants with complete 6- month data (n = 348), health-related self-efficacy significantly improved after 6 months, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significantly reduced in some subgroups; reductions were highest in participants who self-reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension. Among Asian Americans, faith-based programs may be a replicable, low-cost, sustainable way to increase health-related self-efficacy and decrease blood pressure, specifically among individuals with self-reported hypertension. © 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85071280936&doi=10.5888%2fpcd16.180618&partnerID=40&md5=c72ea7b89a3a20aa7712b7833a52019f
DOI: 10.5888/pcd16.180618
ISSN: 15451151
Original Language: English