Efficacy of Behavioral Interventions on Biological Outcomes for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction among Latinos: a Review of the Literature.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the impact of culturally appropriate behavioral interventions, including walking, on cardiovascular disease risk factors among at-risk Latinos.
Results Summary
One study reported significant reductions in systolic blood pressure and increased physical activity, while another noted cholesterol reductions. Two studies showed no significant effects on LDL, HDL, or BMI.
Population
At-risk Latinos (≥1 CVD risk factor, samples >30% Latino)
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
culturally appropriate interventions delivered by promotoras combining nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups | decrease | systolic blood pressure | at-risk Latinos | - | statistically significant reductions | #1 |
culturally appropriate interventions delivered by promotoras combining nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups | increase | physical activity | at-risk Latinos | - | increase | #2 |
culturally appropriate interventions delivered by promotoras combining nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups | decrease | cholesterol levels | at-risk Latinos | - | reductions | #3 |
culturally appropriate interventions delivered by promotoras combining nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups | no change | - | at-risk Latinos | - | no significant intervention effects | #4 |
culturally appropriate interventions delivered by promotoras combining nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups | no change | LDL | at-risk Latinos | - | no significant changes | #5 |
culturally appropriate interventions delivered by promotoras combining nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups | no change | HDL | at-risk Latinos | - | no significant changes | #6 |
culturally appropriate interventions delivered by promotoras combining nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups | no change | BMI | at-risk Latinos | - | no significant changes | #7 |
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among Latinos. Designing and delivering culturally appropriate interventions are critical for modifying behavioral and nutritional behavior among Latinos and preventing CVD. OBJECTIVE: This literature review provides information on evidence-based behavioral intervention strategies developed for and tested with at-risk Latinos, which reported impacts on biological outcomes. METHODS: A literature search was performed in PubMed that identified 110 randomized controlled trials of behavioral interventions for CVD risk reduction with at-risk Latinos (≥1 CVD risk factor, samples >30 % Latino), four of which met the inclusion criteria of reporting biological outcomes (BP, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and body mass index (BMI)). RESULTS: All the studies used promotoras (Hispanic/Latino community member with training that provides basic health education in the community without being a professional healthcare worker) to deliver culturally appropriate interventions that combined nutritional and physical activity classes, walking routes, and/or support groups. One study reported statistically significant reductions in systolic blood pressure and an increase in physical activity. One study reported reductions in cholesterol levels compared to the control group. Two studies did not have significant intervention effects. Most studies demonstrated no significant changes in LDL, HDL, or BMI. Methodological limitations include issues related to sample sizes, study durations, and analytic methods. CONCLUSION: Few studies met the inclusion criteria, but this review provides some evidence that culturally appropriate interventions such as using promotoras, bilingual materials/classes, and appropriate cultural diet and exercise modifications provide potentially efficacious strategies for cardiovascular risk improvement among Latinos.