Effect of a Culturally Attuned Exercise Program for Black and Hispanic Women

Paper

Thursday, 20 July 2006

This presentation is part of : Exercise Programs to Improve Health

Joanne S. Stevenson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Graduate Program, Mount Carmel College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, USA

Learning Objective #1: Understand the relationship of cardiovascular-related disease in White, Black, & Hispanic women to sedentarism and activity levels.
Learning Objective #2: Describe the effects of a culturally attuned exercise intervention for Black and Hispanic inner city women.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 45.2% of all deaths in women in 2002 and the death rate was 69% higher in minority women compared to majority women. Two primary causes of CVD are coronary heart disease and stroke. Among women aged 45 to 59 years, death rates from stroke were 77.3% higher among minority women. Risk factors for CVD include hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, smoking, stress, and sedentary lifestyle. A culturally attuned aerobic exercise protocol was tested in a high-risk urban low-income population of Black and Hispanic women who were both hypertensive and morbidly obese.
            Focus groups of women from the target neighborhoods helped to culturally attune and adapt the exercise protocol, exercise schedule, type of music, location, and child care to fit the needs of the participants.
            A two-group crossover lag experimental design with 30 women was used so all subjects could benefit from the protocol. Exercise sessions were conducted 3 times per week for 16 weeks; each consisted of warm up, aerobic fitness exercise, weight training, relaxation, and cool down. The women wore digi-walkers and every night they recorded the number of steps taken that day in a diary. No planned weight loss/dieting was included. Dependent variables included: selected behavioral variables, exercise stress testing, blood pressures, heart rates, lipids, weights, and anthropometrics.
            After 16 weeks, the exercise group had significant decreases in systolic (p < .007) and diastolic blood pressure (p < .008), HRR (p< .01), and increases in exercise time, intensity, and stamina. There were no significant changes in mean resting heart rate or weight. Anthropometrics, flexibility, and strength improved significantly. Findings indicate this population will adhere to an exercise regimen, if it is attuned to their cultural mores, lifestyle, and time constraints.

See more of Exercise Programs to Improve Health
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)