Pilot testing of the PRAISEDD intervention among African American and low-income older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is particularly high among African American (AA) older adults, and these individuals are least likely to have access to CVD prevention activities. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of People Reducing Risk and Improving Strength through Exercise, Diet and Drug Adherence (PRAISEDD), which is geared at increasing adherence to CVD prevention behaviors among AA and low-income older adults.


METHODS
This feasibility study was conducted in a senior housing site, using a single-group repeated-measures design and testing physical activity, diet, medication adherence beliefs and behaviors, and blood pressure at baseline and after a 12-week intervention period. Of 22 participants, mean (SD) age was 76.4 (7.6) years, and most were female (64%) and AA (86%). An intention-to-treat analysis was used.


RESULTS
There were significant decreases in systolic (P = .02) and diastolic blood pressure (P = .01) and a nonsignificant trend toward improvement in cholesterol intake (P = .09). There were no changes in time spent in moderate-level physical activity, sodium intake, medication adherence, or self-efficacy and outcome expectations across all 3 behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
The PRAISEDD intervention was feasible in a group of AA and low-income older adults and, after 12 weeks, resulted in improvements in blood pressure. Future research is needed to test a revised PRAISEDD intervention using a randomized controlled design, a larger sample, and a longer follow-up period. The PRAISEDD intervention should be revised to incorporate environmental and policy changes that influence CVD prevention behaviors and explore the impact of social networking as it relates to diffusion of the intervention among participants in low-income housing facilities.
Resnick
Barbara
B
University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. barbresnick@aol.com
Shaughnessy
Marianne
M
Galik
Elizabeth
E
Scheve
Ann
A
Fitten
Rachel
R
Morrison
Tyree
T
Michael
Kathleen
K
Agness
Chanel
C
D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000208:ethnology; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020377:Self Efficacy