Evaluating the Effectiveness of Culturally Tailored Cardiovascular Health Training Using Life's Essential 8 for Asian...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) disproportionately affects Asian Americans. Despite the rapid growth of this population, culturally tailored cardiovascular health training for community health workers (CHWs) remains scarce. This study evaluated a culturally tailored cardiovascular health (CVH) training for Asian American CHWs based on the "Life's Essential 8" framework from the American Heart Association.

A pretest - posttest mixed methods study using a hybrid (online and in-person) training intervention.

Twenty Asian American CHWs were recruited via purposive and convenience sampling. Data collection included a CVH knowledge questionnaire, perceived self-efficacy and motivational interviewing (MI) confidence scales, and personal CVH score assessments. Quantitative data were analyzed with paired t-tests, complemented by qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended responses.

Post-training, CHWs showed statistically significant improvements in CVH knowledge (p = .007) and personal CVH scores (p = .014), suggesting both improved literacy and personal health behavior change. No significant changes were found in perceived self-efficacy or MI confidence sum score. Qualitative findings revealed that while CHWs highly valued the culturally specific content, they required more hands-on practice to gain confidence in MI skills.

Culturally tailored training successfully enhances knowledge and personal CVH metrics among Asian American CHWs. However, skill-based MI confidence may require longer-term support and practical application beyond a single training program period.

Investing in culturally tailored CHW training is a high-impact strategy to bridge the health equity gap. Improving the CVH of community-dwelling frontline workers not only empowers them as educators but also provides the community with healthy role models to improve CVH.