Other Titles
Cultural diversity in the care of underserved populations
Abstract
Session presented on Friday, July 22, 2016:
Background: To promote healthy behaviors and provide health screenings to underserved population in Los Angeles (LA), students at Charles R Drew University participate in health fairs. Little is known about cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile of health fairs participants in underserved diverse communities.
Purpose: We explored the CVD risk profile of participants from the underserved communities in Los Angeles who attended a community health fair conducted by the Charles R. Drew University.
Methods: Survey was used to assess reasons of visit, demographics, insurance, smoking, self-perceived health, body mass index, fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise habit. Participants received screenings for blood pressure, blood glucose, and total cholesterol. Participants with abnormal findings received counseling, education and referral to their providers. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 22.
Results: Of 272 participants, 86% were female, 73% were African Americans, 39% were 50 years and older, 28% had College education, 46% had HMO and 21% reported fair/poor health. Participants visited the health fair for screening (31%) and seeking health information (31%). Of the participants, 7% were smokers, 30% were obese, 36% had borderline/hypercholesterolemia, 76% did not consume five servings of fruits and vegetables, 35% did not exercise 30 minutes or more per day for 3 days/week, 7% were diabetics, and 25% had systolic hypertension, 19% had diastolic hypertension, and 29% had both systolic and diastolic hypertension. About half (46%) had 3 to 6 risk factors for CVD disease. Male who were 40 years and older during the health fair who self perceived their health status as fair/poor health were more likely to have higher risk factors (p<0.05) compared to the other groups.
Conclusions: About half of the participants were asymptomatic at the time of screening, yet at high risk of CVD. Longitudinal follow-up of the health fair participants is imperative to improve health outcomes and knowledge about CVD.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Health Fair Screening, Underserved Community
Recommended Citation
Evers-Manly, Shirley D. and Shaheen, Magda, "Asymptomatic at-risk population: Health fair screening in diverse underserved population" (2016). INRC (Congress). 90.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2016/presentations_2016/90
Conference Name
27th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Cape Town, South Africa
Conference Year
2016
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.
All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Asymptomatic at-risk population: Health fair screening in diverse underserved population
Cape Town, South Africa
Session presented on Friday, July 22, 2016:
Background: To promote healthy behaviors and provide health screenings to underserved population in Los Angeles (LA), students at Charles R Drew University participate in health fairs. Little is known about cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile of health fairs participants in underserved diverse communities.
Purpose: We explored the CVD risk profile of participants from the underserved communities in Los Angeles who attended a community health fair conducted by the Charles R. Drew University.
Methods: Survey was used to assess reasons of visit, demographics, insurance, smoking, self-perceived health, body mass index, fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise habit. Participants received screenings for blood pressure, blood glucose, and total cholesterol. Participants with abnormal findings received counseling, education and referral to their providers. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 22.
Results: Of 272 participants, 86% were female, 73% were African Americans, 39% were 50 years and older, 28% had College education, 46% had HMO and 21% reported fair/poor health. Participants visited the health fair for screening (31%) and seeking health information (31%). Of the participants, 7% were smokers, 30% were obese, 36% had borderline/hypercholesterolemia, 76% did not consume five servings of fruits and vegetables, 35% did not exercise 30 minutes or more per day for 3 days/week, 7% were diabetics, and 25% had systolic hypertension, 19% had diastolic hypertension, and 29% had both systolic and diastolic hypertension. About half (46%) had 3 to 6 risk factors for CVD disease. Male who were 40 years and older during the health fair who self perceived their health status as fair/poor health were more likely to have higher risk factors (p<0.05) compared to the other groups.
Conclusions: About half of the participants were asymptomatic at the time of screening, yet at high risk of CVD. Longitudinal follow-up of the health fair participants is imperative to improve health outcomes and knowledge about CVD.