TY - JOUR
T1 - Effective heart disease prevention
T2 - Lessons from a qualitative study of user perspectives in Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani communities
AU - Netto, G.
AU - McCloughan, L.
AU - Bhatnagar, A.
PY - 2007/3
Y1 - 2007/3
N2 - Objectives: Coronary heart disease (CHD) has a high mortality, incidence and prevalence among Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities in the UK, indicating the need for effective heart disease prevention initiatives for these communities. This paper considers how service user perspectives can be used to develop effective, culturally focused CHD prevention interventions for these target groups by addressing identified barriers, including deeply held cultural beliefs. Study design: A qualitative research study, using a longitudinal action research approach. Methods: This was a community-based study in Edinburgh. Six focus group discussions-two for each community-were organized with participants from these communities at the beginning of the project. A further six focus group discussions for the same communities were organized six months later. Results: Over the period examined, participants reported varying changes in levels of knowledge relating to the nature, causes and symptoms of CHD. Some participants reported taking slight to significant steps to reduce or prevent heart disease, while others did not. The project was viewed as helpful in increasing knowledge about CHD and preventive measures and encouraging healthier lifestyles. However, persistent barriers to change were also identified, requiring changes to the project that involved not only matching intervention materials and messages to observable, superficial characteristics of the target population, but more fundamental changes that address the cultural, social, historical, environmental and psychological forces that influence health behaviour. Conclusion: CHD prevention initiatives need to identify and respond to deep-rooted influences on health-behaviour in 'at-risk' groups, in addition to superficial characteristics of the target populations. It is important for specific prevention initiatives to be linked into wider CHD frameworks to ensure transferability of learning and integration within wider service provision. © 2006 The Royal Institute of Public Health.
AB - Objectives: Coronary heart disease (CHD) has a high mortality, incidence and prevalence among Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities in the UK, indicating the need for effective heart disease prevention initiatives for these communities. This paper considers how service user perspectives can be used to develop effective, culturally focused CHD prevention interventions for these target groups by addressing identified barriers, including deeply held cultural beliefs. Study design: A qualitative research study, using a longitudinal action research approach. Methods: This was a community-based study in Edinburgh. Six focus group discussions-two for each community-were organized with participants from these communities at the beginning of the project. A further six focus group discussions for the same communities were organized six months later. Results: Over the period examined, participants reported varying changes in levels of knowledge relating to the nature, causes and symptoms of CHD. Some participants reported taking slight to significant steps to reduce or prevent heart disease, while others did not. The project was viewed as helpful in increasing knowledge about CHD and preventive measures and encouraging healthier lifestyles. However, persistent barriers to change were also identified, requiring changes to the project that involved not only matching intervention materials and messages to observable, superficial characteristics of the target population, but more fundamental changes that address the cultural, social, historical, environmental and psychological forces that influence health behaviour. Conclusion: CHD prevention initiatives need to identify and respond to deep-rooted influences on health-behaviour in 'at-risk' groups, in addition to superficial characteristics of the target populations. It is important for specific prevention initiatives to be linked into wider CHD frameworks to ensure transferability of learning and integration within wider service provision. © 2006 The Royal Institute of Public Health.
KW - 'At-risk' groups
KW - Coronary heart disease
KW - Ethnic groups
KW - Health promotion
KW - Prevention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33846906730&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.puhe.2006.11.001
DO - 10.1016/j.puhe.2006.11.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 17224165
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 121
SP - 177
EP - 186
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 3
ER -