"Me Dieron Vida": The Effects of a Pilot Health Promotion Intervention to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk and Improve Behavioral Health among Older Latinos with HIV.

Daniel E Jimenez,Elliott R Weinstein,John A Batsis

doi:10.3390/ijerph19052667

Abstract

There are significant gaps in knowledge about the synergistic and disparate burden of health disparities associated with cardiovascular health issues, poorer mental health outcomes, and suboptimal HIV-care management on the health of older Latinos living with HIV (OLLWH). This pilot study sought to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an innovative application of an already established health-promotion intervention—Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA)—among this marginalized population. Eighteen self-identified Latino men with an undetectable HIV viral load and documented risk of cardiometabolic disease participated in this study. Although the attrition rate of 22% was higher than expected, participants attended 77% of the sessions and almost 95% of the virtual walks. Participants reported high satisfaction with the intervention, as evident by self-report quantitative (CSQ-8; M = 31, SD = 1.5) and qualitative metrics. Participants appreciated bonding with the community health worker and their peers to reduce social isolation. Results indicate that the HOLA intervention is an innovative way of delivering a health promotion intervention adapted to meet the diverse needs and circumstances of OLLWH, is feasible and acceptable, and has the potential to have positive effects on the health of OLLWH.

Highlights

Older adults living with HIV (OALWH) are living longer and healthier lives, a unique set of challenges associated with physical and mental health comorbidities associated with accelerated aging and other structural health disparities will be further exacerbated as the proportion of older adults living with HIV (OALWH) in the U.S is expected to double over the 15 years [2]
We considered participation and attrition rate as an indicator of acceptability based on the notion that if the intervention was not found to be useful, the participants would discontinue their participation in the project
The sample was diverse with respect to country of origin—Cuba, Colombia, Honduras, U.S, and Nicaragua—with participants living in the U.S for an average of 30.6 years (SD = 11.0)

Summary

Introduction

Older adults living with HIV (OALWH) are living longer and healthier lives, a unique set of challenges associated with physical and mental health comorbidities associated with accelerated aging and other structural health disparities will be further exacerbated as the proportion of OALWH in the U.S is expected to double over the 15 years [2]. Certain marginalized groups such as racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities continue to experience significant HIV health disparities, those living at the intersection of multiple system of oppression.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion