The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #57940

Juliana Tu, MS, CHES¹, Matilde Alvarado, RN, MSN¹, Robinson Fulwood, PhD, MSPH², and Gregory J. Morosco, PhD, MPH². (1) Office of Prevention, Education, and Control, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 31 Center Drive, Suite 4A10, MSC 2480, Bethesda, MD 20892-2480, 301-496-4236, tuj@nhlbi.nih.gov, (2) Office of Prevention, Education, and Control, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 31 Center Drive, MSC 2480, Rm. 4A-10, Bethesda, MD 20892

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States with ancestral ties to approximately 50 Asian and Pacific Islander nations. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among these groups, but its impact on each group varies. Risk factors such as high blood pressure, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and stress all contribute to the high rates of cardiovascular disease within this population.

Between 1998 and 1999, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) held strategy development workshops to address priority issues for cardiovascular health promotion to AAPIs. Workshop participants recommended that tailored, comprehensive heart health interventions are needed for historically overlooked and medically underserved populations such as Filipinos, Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Native Hawaiians.

The NHLBI partnered with the Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum and a community-based organization to conduct cardiovascular risk assessments in the Filipino communities of Daly City and San Francisco, California. Three formative research methods were used to study the communities: (1) focus groups with staff and volunteers from the community-based organizations, (2) key informant interviews with community leaders, and (3) indepth interviews with community residents.

The purpose of this presentation is to: (1) share major findings from the formative research, (2) discuss the recommendations for prevention and intervention programs in Filipino communities, and (3) discuss the future direction of NHLBI’s activities to promote the dissemination of bilingual language appropriate materials and strategies to underserved Filipino communities.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
• 3. Describe the strategy used to conduct heart health assessments.
  7. Describe the communities’ health risk behaviors that put them at high risk for heart disease.
  11. Describe the tailored tools and materials NHLBI has developed for dissemination to Filipino communities.

Keywords: Asian Americans, Community Health Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/National Institutes of Health
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.