Strong Hearts: Rural CVD Prevention



Status:Active, not recruiting
Conditions:Obesity Weight Loss, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Cardiology
Therapuetic Areas:Cardiology / Vascular Diseases, Endocrinology
Healthy:No
Age Range:40 - Any
Updated:3/13/2019
Start Date:March 2014
End Date:February 2020

Use our guide to learn which trials are right for you!

Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities: A Rural Community CVD Prevention Program

Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities is a research study which aims to reduce cardiovascular
disease (CVD), improve quality of life, and reduce CVD related health care costs in rural
communities.

The investigators' aim is to better understand how changes in lifestyle can affect the health
of rural women and others in their communities.

There are notable cardiovascular disease (CVD) disparities among people living in rural
settings, particularly medically underserved rural areas. Complex factors such as
socioeconomic disadvantage, social and cultural dynamics, geographic distances/barriers, and
limited access to healthcare, healthy foods, and/or physical activity opportunities
contribute to the issue. The objective of Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities (SHHC) is to
reduce rural CVD disparities through civic engagement and implementation of a community-based
intervention in 16 underserved rural towns. In Montana, SHHC builds upon a long-standing
collaboration with National Institute of Food and Agriculture cooperative extension
educators, who will implement the project. SHHC in New York will work with a health care
system to implement the project. There is limited knowledge about how programs and services
can move beyond commonly used individual-level approaches—which have limitations in terms of
cost, impact, reach, and sustainability—to effectively reduce rural CVD health disparities
using an integrated, multi-level, community-engaged approach. The objective of Strong Hearts,
Healthy Communities (SHHC) is to address this gap in knowledge and practice by working with
residents, practitioners, health educators, local leadership, and other stakeholders in 16
medically underserved rural towns to develop and test a comprehensive program designed to: a)
improve diet and physical activity behaviors, b) promote local built environment resources,
and c) shift social norms about active living and healthy eating through civic engagement,
capacity building, and community-based programming.

FORMATIVE RESEARCH (STAGE1: Completed) The investigators conducted community audits, focus
groups, and key informant interviews with members of the above key groups to gather in-depth
data about a number of topics related to CVD awareness and risk factors. These topics
included: economic, healthcare, and social/cultural factors, as well as, barriers and
facilitators to healthy eating and active living. The community audit and qualitative data
gathered during the formative research, as well as, feedback from extension educators and the
National Advisory Board has informed and been incorporated in the development and refinement
of the SHHC curriculum.

RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED INTERVENTION (STAGE 2) In the second phase of the project, the
investigators will evaluate the efficacy of the SHHC curriculum in a 24-week community based
randomized controlled intervention trial. The investigators will compare changes in
CVD-related anthropometric, physiologic, behavioral, and psychosocial parameters between
subjects in 8 intervention and 8 control communities. In addition, the investigators will
evaluate changes in behavior, attitudes, and knowledge among SHHC intervention subjects'
"social network".

Inclusion Criteria:

- Not currently physically active

- BMI greater than or equal to 25

- Blood pressure is less than 160/100 mm Hg

- Heart rate is between 60-100 bpm

- English-speaking

- Able and willing to obtain physician's approval to participate in either intervention

- Willing to participate in assessment activities

- Willing to make a firm commitment to participate in either intervention

Exclusion Criteria:

- Currently physically active

- Body Mass Index less than 25

- Untreated hypertension

- Heart rate lower than 60 or higher than 100 bpm

- Non-English speaking

- Not able or willing to obtain physician's approval to participate

- Not interested or willing to participate in assessment activities

- Not able or willing to make a firm commitment to participate in either intervention
We found this trial at
16
sites
Glasgow, Montana 59230
?
mi
from
Glasgow, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Broadus, Montana 59317
?
mi
from
Broadus, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Cherry Valley, New York 13320
?
mi
from
Cherry Valley, NY
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Chinook, Montana 59523
?
mi
from
Chinook, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Choteau, Montana 59422
?
mi
from
Choteau, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Columbus, Montana 59019
?
mi
from
Columbus, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Forsyth, Montana 59327
?
mi
from
Forsyth, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Harlowton, Montana 59036
?
mi
from
Harlowton, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Hinsdale, Montana 59241
?
mi
from
Hinsdale, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
190 Terminal Drive
Lewistown, Montana 59457
?
mi
from
Lewistown, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Little Falls, New York 13365
?
mi
from
Little Falls, NY
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Plentywood, Montana 59254
?
mi
from
Plentywood, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Saint Johnsville, New York 13452
?
mi
from
Saint Johnsville, NY
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Shelby, Montana 59474
?
mi
from
Shelby, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Sidney, New York 13838
?
mi
from
Sidney, NY
Click here to add this to my saved trials
Thompson Falls, Montana 59873
?
mi
from
Thompson Falls, MT
Click here to add this to my saved trials