title: Participation in an Older Adult Heart Health Program affects lifestyle behavior.
abstract: The Older Adult Heart Health Program (HHP) was a university-based outreach health screen and education program. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the HHP was associated with lifestyle behavior change among participants. HHP volunteers (n=136) were mostly white (98.5%) women (79.4%) with a mean (+/- SEM) age of 75.1+/-0.6 years. A follow-up survey was sent to the participants' homes 4 months after the HHP inquiring about physician office visitation and adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors since the HHP. A majority (n=60, 64.5%) of those who completed the survey (n=93, 68.4% response rate) indicated they visited their physician after the HHP. A greater percentage of survey respondents who visited their physician made lifestyle behavior changes than those who did not, 71.1% vs. 45.4%, respectively (p=0.032). These findings suggest participating in programs such as the HHP prompt physician visitation and behavior change among older adults residing in the community.
authors.affiliation: School of Allied Health, University of Connecticut, 358 Mansfield Road, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. linda.pescatello@uconn.edu
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Pescatello
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Delaney
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marschke
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coble
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belyea
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged