NC Enhanced WISEWOMAN Project
Condition: Cardiovascular Disease
MeSH terms: Cardiovascular Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The overall aim of the study was to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a
      cardiovascular disease risk reduction intervention program for midlife, low-income women. We
      enhanced an existing nutrition and physical activity intervention tool, A New Leaf...Choices
      for Healthy Living, which was designed specifically for this demographic group as part of the
      CDC's WISEWOMAN Program. The enhanced intervention was tested in a randomized controlled
      trial in a community health center setting.
    

Detailed description: 
      We conducted a 2 year study to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a CVD risk reduction
      intervention program for older, under or uninsured women. We used an existing nutrition and
      physical activity (PA) intervention tool (New Leaf…Choices for Healthy Living) designed
      specifically for this demographic group as part of the WISEWOMAN program (A CDC-funded CVD
      risk factor screening and intervention program for older, low-income women). We enhanced this
      already tested intervention to include: 1) the latest recommendations regarding dietary fat
      and carbohydrate intake, 2) group education sessions and follow-up telephone contacts from
      lay health advisors (LHAs); and 3) a community resource linkage component delivered primarily
      by LHAs. We tested the enhanced intervention in a randomized controlled trial in a community
      health center setting.

      A total of 240 women aged 40-64 were randomized to the enhanced New Leaf intervention or
      minimum intervention groups. Women in the enhanced New Leaf group received a 6 month
      intensive intervention consisting of 2 individual counseling sessions at the CHC, postcard
      mailings, 3 group sessions, and lay health advisor (LHA) guided linkages to community
      resources for diet and PA. This was followed by a 6 month maintenance period led by the LHA
      and including 6 phone contacts, and 3 tailored mailings along with continued community
      resource linkages. Primary outcome measures at 6 and 12 months included 1) PA measured by CSA
      accelerometer and 2) fruit, vegetable, and fat intake. Secondary outcomes included biomarkers
      of dietary intake (red blood cell membrane fatty acids, carotenoids), CVD risk factors (total
      and HDL cholesterol, blood pressure), and psychosocial variables.
    

Intervention name(s): Lifestyle behavior change program; Pamphlets
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Intervention included a six-month intensive intervention of 2 individual counseling sessions, 3 group sessions, and 3 phone calls from a peer counselor followed by a maintenance phase (6 months) including 1 individual counseling session and 7 monthly peer counselor calls.; Nutritional and physical activity pamphlets from American Heart Association
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: diet; physical activity; smoking cessation