radio stories about children's healthy eating and exercise

Conditions: Hypertension; Obesity

Summary: the purpose of this study is to use a community based participatory action research (cbpar) approach to 1) create "radio stories" about somali, latino and hmong families' real success stories with hypertension and obesity in managing their disease through implementation of healthful lifestyle behaviors (nutrition and physical activity), and 2) test the effectiveness and acceptability of radio stories on participant intentions to engage in or improve healthful lifestyle behaviors to prevent these disease. participants in the intervention condition listened to the "radio stories" and the participants in the control condition listened to an audio brochure with relevant health information. we hypothesized that the intervention participants would report higher intentions to engage in various healthful lifestyle behaviors than the control participants after both participants listened to their respective health information.

given the high rate of hypertension and obesity in minority and immigrant communities, implementing culturally and linguistically appropriate health promotion activities that improve families' diet and physical activity behaviors is imperative. "radio stories" is an education entertainment strategy that has significant potential as a health promotion tool. through a cbpar process, we aimed to create and test the effectiveness and acceptability of "solahmo radio stories" about changing knowledge and behaviors to prevent or manage hypertension and obesity for somali, latino, and hmong families with children. methods: solahmo community researchers interviewed 7 families (3 somali, 2 latino, and 2 hmong) who have successfully implemented lifestyle changes to prevent or manage hypertension or obesity, and then create 6 "radio stories" (2 per ethnic community) based on the families' experiences. to test the stories, we are conducting a two-arm trial that includes 146 participants (obesity: 68, hypertension: 78; 44 hmong, 49 latino, and 53 somali participants). effectiveness and acceptability of the program will be tested with pre-and post questionnaires. anticipated results: higher rates of satisfaction, increased knowledge, and increased intention to change healthful lifestyle behaviors in participants receiving the radio stories, as compared to control group participants, will indicate radio story program effectiveness and acceptability.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: inclusion criteria for key family informant interviews: * family self-identifies as somali, latino or hmong * family has at least one child between the ages of 3-18 years old * english or spanish or somali or hmong speaking * family identified as having a compelling story with hypertension or obesity inclusion criteria for intervention and control group participants: * self-identified member of somali, latino or hmong communities * adult age 18 years and older * english or spanish or somali or hmong-speaking * parent/caregiver is involved with raising children between the ages of 3-18 years exclusion criteria for key family informant interviews: * family does not self-identify as somali, latino or hmong * family does not have children between the ages of 3-18 years * not english or spanish or somali or hmong speaking * parent/caregiver is not involved with raising children between the ages of 3-18 years exclusion criteria for intervention and control group participants: * participants do not self-identify as somali, latino or hmong * participants are younger than 18 years * participants are not caregivers of children between the ages of 3-18 years * not english or spanish or somali or hmong speaking

Keywords: hypertension, obesity dietary behaviors physical activity behaviors radio story, entertainment health education immigrants somali, latino, hmong families with 3-18 year old children