Meet the Investigators Awardee Target Population Proposed Strategy Anticipated Outcome HSA-Level Statistics Hector Balcazar, Ph.D., M.S., Spokesperson  Video Clip:  [Download the RealOne player] Principal Investigator: Hector Balcazar, Ph.D., M.S. Professor and Chair Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences Phone: (817) 735-0387 Fax: (817) 735-0324 E-mail: hbalcaza@hsc.unt.edu

Awardee

University of North Texas
Health Science Center
Salud para su Corazón Outreach Initiative
Forth Worth, Texas

Target Population

The target population includes low socioeconomic, Spanish- and English-speaking, underserved Hispanic adults residing in Forth Worth and the metroplex area of Texas.

Proposed Strategy

Using the Salud para su Corazón model, this project will use a multilevel approach to promote culturally and linguistically appropriate cardiovascular health and wellness activities to individuals and families in the target Latino communities. Specific strategies include:

1. Creating partnerships with community-based organizations, other agencies, and members of the community in an effort to reach Latinos who need cardiovascular health and educational services.
2. Conducting training for Promotoras (lay health educators) who will be responsible for performing community dissemination and outreach activities.
3. Conducting neighborhood and communitywide activities (e.g., guided group discussions, or "charlas," community health fairs, cooking demonstrations).
4. Implementing family-based interventions that promote the role of the family in cardiovascular health education and health promotion.
5. Developing individual and family action plans, using An Ounce of Prevention guide, designed to control cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors through heart-healthy behavior.

The proposed strategies will focus on all four National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) performance goals:

• Prevent development of risk factors.
• Detect and treat risk factors.
• Recognize and treat acute coronary syndromes early.
• Prevent recurrence and complications of CVD.

Anticipated Outcome

This project aims to achieve the following outcomes among the Latino population:

• Increased awareness and knowledge of heart-health behavior and stroke information.
• Reduced or controlled, modifiable, CVD risk factors.
• Improved compliance to medical and educational recommendations.
• Increased access to medical care.
• Decreased number of visits to emergency hospitals.
• Engagement of individuals and families in action plans that promote heart-health behavior.
• Improved communication among community partners.