Cardiovascular Risk Factor Screening and Intervention in African American Adults

The Cardiac Health and Rehabilitation program of St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, has developed a project to assess the effectiveness of a community-based cardiovascular risk assessment and intervention program directed at African American adults. The specific aim of this program is to assess the feasibility of implementing a community-based cardiovascular disease risk factor reduction program directed at African American adults. Its ultimate goal is to be able to teach African American adults cost-efficient, simple methods of exercise, nutrition, and weight management; smoking cessation; and blood pressure control. The program is expected to raise the African American community's awareness of the importance of modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors and their effect on cardiac morbidity and mortality. The program is also expected to be able to evaluate the success of cardiovascular disease risk factor intervention and patient satisfaction with the program.