STEPS to a Healthier Heart: Improving Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Knowledge Among African American Women

Background: African American women have the highest risk of death from heart disease among all racial, ethnic, and gender groups due to sedentary behaviors. Purpose: This article describes an intervention among 2 groups—a program group and an information group (intervention and comparison)—that assessed cardiovascular risk factor knowledge among African American women. Methods: The Coronary Heart Disease Knowledge Test was administered to participants prior to study participation. Participants (N = 345) aged 34–66 self-selected into either the intervention group (n = 166) or the comparison group (n = 179). Repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were performed to assess participant characteristics and determine whether changes occurred in participants’ knowledge. Results: Data analysis indicated no significant differences between the groups regarding knowledge; however, significant differences appeared between pre- and posttest scores over time. The 3-way repeated-measures ANOVA indicated differences based on education. Discussion: Results suggest that intervention duration should be longer to ensure that participants understand cardiovascular risk factors. Future research could assess African American women’s current cardiovascular preventative practices and add a qualitative component to provide context on knowledge and actions. Translation to Health Education Practice: Results confirm the need for culturally tailored, gender-specific programming to help close awareness and knowledge gaps.