Outcome Measures of a Family-Based Education Approach with Mexican Immigrants in the Yakima Valley

Carissa Sundsmo-Switzer,Virginia A. Bennett

doi:10.4236/ce.2011.24052

Carissa Sundsmo-Switzer, Virginia A. Bennett

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2011.24052

Copy DOI

Journal: Creative Education	Publication Date: Oct 18, 2011
Citations: 2	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Central Washington University

Abstract

With the continued incidence of obesity and health related issues in the United States and especially in the Hispanic population, it is important to provide useful healthy lifestyle education to this population. One of the barriers to providing this information is the lack of culture sensitivity in the content and presentation of current programs. In this pilot study, pre and post tests were used to measure the effectiveness of Salsa, Sabor, y Salud, a culturally sensitive program designed for Latinos. Outcome measures included dietary changes, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, heart rate, reported physical activity, and healthy lifestyle score. Diet was evaluated by 24-hour diet recall for both adults and children. Difference in outcome measures was assessed using a dependent t test. Significant decreases in weight, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, kilocalories, and grams of carbohydrates were observed. Adults reported an increase in total minutes of physical activity and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. This culturally sensitive education program, Salsa, Sabor, y Salud, has a positive effect on health related outcome measures.

Highlights

With the continued increase of overweight and obesity in the United States and especially in the Hispanic population (Ogden, Carrol, Curtin, McDowell, Tabak, & Flegal, 2006; Flegal, Ogden, & Carroll, 2004), it is important to provide useful healthy lifestyle education
One of the barriers to providing this information is the lack of culture sensitivity in the content and presentation of current programs
Knowledge is an important component to making healthy lifestyle changes, it does not always result in participant compliance

Summary

Introduction

With the continued increase of overweight and obesity in the United States and especially in the Hispanic population (Ogden, Carrol, Curtin, McDowell, Tabak, & Flegal, 2006; Flegal, Ogden, & Carroll, 2004), it is important to provide useful healthy lifestyle education. The Salsa, Sabor, y Salud program has broken the barrier and offers a culturally sensitive program to the Hispanic population on healthy lifestyle choices. At this time the only evaluation of the program that has been completed is a participant self assessment and satisfaction survey. More objective data are necessary to measure the outcomes of an educational program. The purpose of this pilot study was to gather and analysis objective data

Implications of Ethnicity

Program Design

Outcome Measures

Statistical Analysis

Results

Diastolic blood pressure

Implications of the Study