People reducing risk and improving strength through exercise, diet, and drug adherence (PRAISEDD): a case report on long-term single site adoption.
African-American and low-income older adults have heightened risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Culturally and socially congruent community-based programs can promote risk-reduction behaviors, including physical activity (PA), and can demonstrate durability. The purpose was to increase lifestyle PA and promote self-management of CVD risk factors in a sample of at-risk older adults and to sustain a PA program within low-income housing. Exercise and education sessions were conducted three times/week for 12 weeks. A community champion was trained to carry on the classes thereafter, with monthly inoculation visits by a nurse and exercise trainer. Outcome measures included attendance and CVD risk factor control. This ongoing community-based program, incorporating peer leadership, inoculation visits, and self-efficacy enhancement, has been sustained for over 3 years with classes one to two times per week and routine attendance of about 12-18 residents. PRAISEDD demonstrates that a community-based PA program can be maintained using within-community leadership, periodic involvement of health care experts, and social support and self-efficacy enhancement.
School of Nursing, University of Maryland, 655 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA.
Kathleen M
KM
Michael
Marianne
M
Shaughnessy
Barbara
B
Resnick
African-American; Cardiovascular disease; Community-based programs; Low-income; Physical activity