The Impact of a Health Promotion Educational Program on Cardiovascular Risk Factors for HIV Infected Women on Antiretroviral Therapy

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Samaha Hodges, American Cancer Society; Marcia McDonnell Holstad, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-02-07
• Publisher: OMICS International
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2013 Holstad MMD, et al
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://omicsonline.org/2155-6113/2155-6113-4-224.php?aid=16363
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of AIDS and Clinical Research
• ISSN: 2155-6113
• Volume: 4
• Grant/Funding Information: ROI NR008094 National Institute of Health (NIH)/ National Institute of Nursing Research and in part by Emory Center for AIDS Research (P30 AI050409)
• Keywords: HIV infected women; Cardiovascular risk; Antiretroviral therapy; HIV
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Education; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

This study investigates the efficacy of a health promotion educational program on improving cardiovascular risk factors of weight, Body Mass Index, and waist to hip ratio in 76 predominately African American HIV-infected women. The health promotion educational program was the control group (that focused on improving self-efficacy for nutrition, exercise, stress reduction and women’s health behaviors) of a NIH-funded study. The majority of participants was overweight, obese, or at high risk based on waist hip ratio at the beginning of the study. There were no statistically significant improvements in body mass index or waist hip ratio from pre intervention to up to 9 months post intervention. There were significant changes in waist hip ratio and body mass index in both directions (improvement and worsened) for a small group of participants. The health promotion program did not affect significant changes in cardiovascular risk and should be revised, lengthened, and refocused on nutrition, diet, exercise, and long term goal commitments to reduce the high risk for cardiovascular disease in this group.