Publication Date
4-19-2021
Keywords
Chinese Americans, cardiovascular health, integrative medicine, nutrition counseling, primary care, culturally tailored education
Abstract
Purpose: Current biomedical cardiovascular disease nutrition counseling does not incorporate Chinese medicine principles.
Methods: A heart-healthy integrative nutritional counseling (H2INC) curriculum consistent with Chinese medicine principles and biomedical nutrition guidelines was taught to Chinese Americans in group education sessions. Chinese-speaking patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors from an urban general medicine practice were recruited to attend a 90-minute group session. Participants completed pre-post surveys to assess the impact of H2INC on their perceived heart-healthy nutrition knowledge and empowerment, as well as the cultural relevance of H2INC.
Results: A total of 47 participants (mean age: 74 years; 63.8% female) attended a session. In response to the statement “I am able to choose heart-healthy Chinese foods to eat,” on a 5-point Likert scale for which “strongly disagree” = 1 and “strongly agree” = 5, the presession survey mean response was 3.87 ± 0.69 and the postsession survey mean response was 4.13 ± 0.58 (P = 0.05). Postsession, 87% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they felt confident using what they learned and 94% agreed or strongly agreed that H2INC fit their culture.
Conclusions: H2INC had a positive impact on perceived heart-healthy nutrition knowledge and empowerment and rated high in cultural relevance. Culturally relevant education sessions like H2INC could be a promising primary care health education intervention.
Recommended Citation
Woo J, Ho EY, Jih J. Heart-healthy integrative nutritional counseling group education sessions among Chinese Americans with cardiovascular risk factors or disease: a primary care quality improvement pilot. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2021;8:127-33. doi: 10.17294/2330-0698.1783
Included in
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Cardiology Commons, Cardiovascular Diseases Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Integrative Medicine Commons, Internal Medicine Commons, Primary Care Commons
Submitted
June 23rd, 2020
Accepted
October 16th, 2020
