Strong Hearts for New York: A Rural Heart Disease Prevention Study
Condition: Heart Disease; Cardiovascular Disease; Sedentary Lifestyle; Overweight; Obesity
MeSH terms: Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Diseases; Overweight
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Strong Hearts for New York is a research study which aims to reduce cardiovascular disease
      (CVD), improve quality of life, and reduce CVD related health care costs in rural
      communities. Our aim is to better understand how changes in lifestyle can affect the health
      of rural women and others in their communities.
    

Detailed description: 
      There are notable cardiovascular disease (CVD) disparities among people living in rural
      settings, particularly medically underserved rural areas. Complex factors such as
      socioeconomic disadvantage, social and cultural dynamics, geographic distances/barriers, and
      limited access to healthcare, healthy foods, and/or physical activity opportunities
      contribute to the issue. The objective of Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities (SHHC) is to
      reduce rural CVD disparities through civic engagement and implementation of a community-based
      intervention in 11 underserved New York communities. SHHC builds upon a long-standing
      collaboration with National Institute of Food and Agriculture cooperative extension
      educators, who will implement the project. There is limited knowledge about how programs and
      services can move beyond commonly used individual-level approaches-which have limitations in
      terms of cost, impact, reach, and sustainability-to effectively reduce rural CVD health
      disparities using an integrated, multi-level, community-engaged approach. The objective of
      Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities (SHHC) is to address this gap in knowledge and practice by
      working with residents, practitioners, health educators, local leadership, and other
      stakeholders in 11 medically underserved rural communities in New York to test a
      comprehensive program designed to: a) improve diet and physical activity behaviors, b)
      promote local built environment resources, and c) shift social norms about active living and
      healthy eating through civic engagement, capacity building, and community based programming.

      RANDOMIZED INTERVENTION AND DELAYED INTERVENTION: In the current phase of the project, the
      efficacy of the SHHC program curriculum will be evaluated in a 24-week delayed intervention
      trial. The investigators will compare changes in CVD-related anthropometric, physiologic,
      behavioral, and psychosocial parameters between subjects in 5 intervention and 6 delayed
      communities in New York State. In addition, changes in behavior, attitudes, and knowledge
      among SHHC intervention subjects' "social network" will be evaluated.
    

Intervention name(s): Group 1 (Intervention); Group 2 (Delayed intervention)
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The investigators will evaluate the efficacy of the SHHC curriculum in a 24-week community-based randomized delayed intervention trial. They will compare changes in CVD-related anthropometric, physiologic, behavioral, and psychosocial parameters between subjects in 5 intervention and 6 delayed intervention communities. In addition, the investigators will evaluate changes in behavior, attitudes, and knowledge among SHHC intervention subjects' "social network".; The investigators will evaluate the efficacy of the SHHC curriculum in a 24-week community-based randomized delayed intervention trial. They will compare changes in CVD-related anthropometric, physiologic, behavioral, and psychosocial parameters between subjects in 5 intervention and 6 delayed intervention communities. In addition, the investigators will evaluate changes in behavior, attitudes, and knowledge among SHHC intervention subjects' "social network".
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: physical activity; nutrition; social network; civic engagement