Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one killer of African Americans. Most public health resources to combat CVD have been invested in finding solutions through the medical care system even though the major risk factors for CVD are preventable and associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Furthermore, since poverty and low education disproportionately affect African Americans, chronic conditions such as CVD are generally addressed too late by the medical care system. Thus health promotion and preventive health interventions are needed. This presentation will describe the results of a study conducted with low income African American union workers (janitors, cafeteria, grounds and maintenance workers) with respect to age and gender differences in self-efficacy and stages of change for exercising, quitting smoking, eating fruits and vegetables, and reducing consumption of high-salt foods. The sample was 50% female. The age ranged from 21-70 years; 83% had incomes less than $35,000 a year, and 35% had not completed high school. Findings show that the 59-87% report that they were sure that they could engage in the behaviors with the lowest percentage for quitting smoking. Moreover, most workers indicated being in action or maintenance stage, except for quitting smoking. These findings will be explored further to assess age-gender specfic relationships and implications for implementing union-based health promotion interventions.
Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss the degree of self-efficacy for cardiovascular health-promoting behaviors of African American union workers. 2. Discuss the stages of change for cardiovascular health promoting behaviors for African American union workers.
Keywords: Health Behavior, Union
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.