Feasibility of Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Hispanics Through a Family-Based Community Intervention

The current project aims to leverage the UCHealth Healthy Hearts Family Program to provide a free, non-insurance-based 1-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and wellness program to Hispanic Colorado families. This program includes an interactive educational class series, baseline and quarterly biometric screenings, and optional consultations with an Exercise Physiologist and a Dietitian. This program takes a novel approach to preventative care by incorporating the family unit with the intention of having the child be the agent of change. The long-term goals of this project are to significantly improve CVD risk factors among participating families and to disseminate study findings to inform developing and current outreach programs to offer effective CVD prevention programs for Hispanic citizens. This work may ultimately lead to more Hispanics being served through new or existing programs, therefore expanding important preventative community health interventions into this underserved population.