Reducing the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in African Americans through Community Based Health Education Strategies

Objective:  To provide participants with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to prevent or reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to raise awareness of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to promote healthy behavior and lifestyle changes and to contribute to efforts of reducing the burden of health disparities in African Americans.

Methods:  A two-day course designed to train community instructors to facilitate community-based educational sessions on the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes in African Americans. The course utilizes credible, relevant educational tips, tools and behavior change theory strategies, along with role-plays, demonstrations and practice. This course will help to develop a knowledge base of basic facts on cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes and their risk factors and prepare instructors to share these facts in community sessions.

Results:   The Cardiovascular Disease Prevention for African Americans Community Health Education Instructor Certification Course has been conducted in 10 states, representing 37 community-based organizations. A total of 65 participants earned certification status. Initial data revealed that 100% of the participants agreed that they had adopted new skills as a result of the course and 85% planned to use the skills learned to improve health outcomes in their communities. Within a 3 year period, a reported 214 African Americans were educated on cardiovascular disease prevention by certified community health education instructors.

Conclusion:   Utilizing culturally sensitive community-based education strategies to educate community health workers has proven to be an effective tool in disseminating cardiovascular disease prevention messages which may positively impact the incidence rate of cardiovascular disease and Diabetes in African Americans.