Fifty thousand Black women, disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease (CVD), die annually; 49% of Black women ≥ 20 years have CVD. Implementing proactive risk reduction is essential. The purpose of this community - based pilot was to test the feasibility of a program combining self-care education with wireless individualized feedback via a unique smartphone designed to appeal specifically to young Black women (YBW).
Methods:
Using church-based recruitment, 49 YBW (aged 25-45 years, 60% single) were randomized to treatment (TX) and control groups by church site. The TX group participated in 4 interactive self-care classes on CVD risk reduction. Each participant set individualized goals. Risk factor profiles (waist circumference (WC), BP, lipid panel by Cholestech [Alere]), medical and reproductive history and a battery of psychosocial instruments were assessed prior to classes and 6 months later. Participants were given smartphones with embedded accelerometers and WANDA-CVD, an application that delivered prompts and messages specifically for this pilot. For activity monitoring, phones were worn on the hip during waking hours. Participants obtained and transmitted BP measurements wirelessly via the phone. Changes over time were measured with paired t-tests and linear regression controlling for age and weight. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s D.
Results:
In risk factor profiles, significant differences favoring the TX group occurred in DBP, WC, and TC/HDL ratio; similar changes in triglycerides yielded a medium-large effect size (Table). TX participants had greater drops in stress, anxiety, and better adherence to heart healthy habits.
Conclusion:
These interim pilot data validate the feasibility of a combined education/wireless monitoring-feedback program in YBW. Further testing in a large randomized trial is warranted to determine long-term effects on behavior change and cardiac risk profiles in this high risk population.
Saints, Sinners, Saviors: Strong Black Women in African American Literature (review)
