Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a participatory action research (PAR) on reducing the metabolic syndrome risk factors among the Koran adult women. The effectiveness of the PAR intervention was examined using a one-group pretest-post-test design. The data were collected from 58 adult women living in a community health center in Ulsan, Korea, between May and November 2016. The psychosocial factors (empowerment, social support, and quality of life), metabolic-related indices, and health behaviors were collected to measure the intervention’s efficiency. After applying it, the participants’ empowerment, social support, and health-related quality of life increased significantly, as compared to the pre-test. Furthermore, their metabolic-related indices improved significantly in the post-test, as compared to the pre-test. Therefore, the PAR intervention was found to be effective in enhancing the psychosocial factors, metabolic-related indices, and health behaviors in the aforementioned population and could be applied to other community health centers.
Highlights
IntroductionThe prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Korean adults aged 19 years and older is 26.2% in 2016 [1], with 72.2% of them affected by one or more of its risk factors [2]
As compared to the men in their 30s, the pattern of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in women is characterized by a decreased incidence and a drastic increase after the age of 50 years [2], which is ascribable to the menopause-related reduction in the female hormone levels, leading to abdominal obesity [3]
We examined the effectiveness of the participatory action research (PAR) intervention using the one-group pretestposttest design to verify its influences on empowerment, social support, health-related quality of life, metabolic-related indices, and health behaviors
Summary
The prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Korean adults aged 19 years and older is 26.2% in 2016 [1], with 72.2% of them affected by one or more of its risk factors [2]. As compared to the men in their 30s, the pattern of MetS in women is characterized by a decreased incidence and a drastic increase after the age of 50 years [2], which is ascribable to the menopause-related reduction in the female hormone levels, leading to abdominal obesity [3]. A preventive intervention focusing on adult women with MetS risk factors would lower MetS and the prevalence of the related chronic diseases. The factors associated with MetS in adult women are multi-level, ranging from individual to group to organizational stages. At the organizational and community levels, the community-based participatory approach effectively provides incessant motivation for voluntary participation and maintenance of healthy behaviors [3,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
