Heart Diseases

Heart Disease

Introduction

In this paper, we try to focus on the Heart Disease in African American Women age 35-50 in North Philadelphia. The purpose of this paper is to design a community based participatory research project aimed at reducing health disparities. The paper will include a rationale for the proposed study, literature review, and creative strategies to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes of a selected community. CBPR principles, theoretical perspective, research design, and methods will be described.

Significance of the Study

The purpose of this research study was to explore the perceived needs of African American Women age 35-50 in North Philadelphia with Heart Disease. The intent of this research was to gain a clear understanding of what degree of self-sufficiency exists in managing health care needs and what the African American Women age 35-50 in North Philadelphia with Heart Disease is necessary to manage his/her own health care.

Also, women in North Philadelphia indicate that they are not well informed about heart disease and cannot identify risk factors associated with Heart Disease. Although 90% of women in North Philadelphia report that they would like to discuss heart disease or risk reduction with their physician, more than 70% report that they had not. Improving knowledge and changing perception of heart disease risk in women in North Philadelphia is the first step to prevention. Primary prevention efforts are paramount in women in North Philadelphia who are at risk for an acute myocardial infarction to decrease the devastating effects an AMI has on a women's life in North Philadelphia.

Targeted Community

The purpose of this paper is to present evidence about the barriers and benefits of risk assessment for Heart Disease in women in North Philadelphia; describe risk factors of Heart Disease in women in North Philadelphia and risk factor stratification using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and the Reynold's Risk score; and provide nurses and other health care professionals (HCP) with information and examples of how to use these tools to assess risk in women in North Philadelphia to identify those who would benefit from risk reduction.

Project rationale & CBPR

It will provide a rationale for a community based approach (to deal with this problem in the community specifically). As CBPR promotes collaborative and equitable partnerships in all research phases and involves an empowering and power-sharing process. CBPR recognizes community as a unit of identity. CBPR builds on strengths and resources within the community. CBPR facilitates co-learning and capacity building among all partners. CBPR for health focuses on problems of relevance to the local community using an ecological approach that attends to multiple determinants of health and disease. CBPR balances research and action for the mutual benefit of all partners. CBPR disseminates findings and knowledge gained to the broader community and involves all partners in the dissemination process. CBPR promotes a long-term process and commitment to sustainability.

Theory

Prevention is an attitude or set of measures to prevent a situation (social, environmental, economic.) deteriorates, or an accident, or disease outbreak ...