Stroke health and risk education (SHARE) pilot project: feasibility and need for church-based stroke health promotion in a bi-ethnic community.
OBJECTIVE
We performed a pilot project to assess the need for and feasibility of a church-based stroke risk reduction intervention in a predominantly Mexican American community.


METHODS
Participants were recruited after each mass on a single weekend from 2 Catholic churches in Corpus Christi, Texas. Questionnaires about personal stroke risk factors and interest in program participation were completed, and blood pressure screening was performed.


RESULTS
A total of 150 individuals participated (63% Mexican American, median age 62). A substantial majority (84%) were interested in being part of a long-term church-based health education project. Blood pressure was >139/89 mm Hg in 50 of 78 (64%) of individuals with a self-reported history of hypertension, and in 17 of 69 (25%) of individuals without known hypertension, with no ethnic differences in blood pressure. Mexican Americans were younger, had a higher BMI, and were more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.


CONCLUSIONS
There is substantial burden of stroke risk factors in these predominantly Mexican American church communities. Church-based health interventions may be a way to reduce stroke in this at-risk population.
Zahuranec
Darin B
DB
Morgenstern
Lewis B
LB
Garcia
Nelda M
NM
Conley
Kathleen M
KM
Lisabeth
Lynda D
LD
Rank
Grace S
GS
Smith
Melinda A
MA
Meurer
William J
WJ
Resnicow
Ken
K
Brown
Devin L
DL
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002410:Catholicism; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000592:standards; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000193:education* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology