A Pilot Primary Stroke Prevention Program for Elderly Korean Americans

Background: Stroke is a significant health issue with devastating consequences among older adults in the United States. However, it can be prevented by improving stroke knowledge and managing risk factors. Many stroke education programs have been shown to be effective. Unfortunately, a minority of older adults, such as older Korean Americans, have not benefited from the programs because of language barriers. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and preliminary impact of a primary stroke prevention program on stroke knowledge, healthy eating, and physical activity behaviors among Korean Americans. Methods: A randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted. A total of 73 persons were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 37) or a control group (n = 36). The intervention program included in-person lectures and discussions. Sociodemographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Analyses of covariance and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the effects of the intervention program. Results: The mean age of participants was 71.49 ± 6.25 years, and most participants were female (74.0%) and married (65.8%). Upon intervention completion, the intervention group showed greater improvements than the control group in stroke knowledge and intake of sodium and total fats (F = 11.89, P =.001, η_p ² = 0.151; F = 4.04, P =.048, η_p ² = 0.057; and F = 4.51, P =.037,= η_p ² = 0.062, respectively). Step counts showed marginal effects (F = 3.27, P =.075, η_p ² = 0.049). Conclusion: This study demonstrated feasibility and effectiveness of the program to improve stroke knowledge and healthy behaviors in elderly Korean Americans.