Healthy Hearts!
August 2022
Community Health Education: The Cardiovascular System
As the morning sun lifted shadows across a large beach park, a small group of men lit the fire of their charcoal barbecues and began to set up small canopies for the upcoming community feast. They formed a semi circle talking story, and their voices rose and drifted away in soft, relaxed tones with the cool morning breeze. Women in beautiful handmade skirts began to arrive in the mid afternoon, accompanied by young men carrying large boxes of food they had prepared. Their relaxed walk echoed the gentle lapping of the ocean upon the sand. Smiles and laughter mingled with greetings, rising melodiously and mingling with the birds chirping in the overhead trees. Looking on, it would appear this group would be the least likely to need health education on the cardiovascular system and risks of high blood pressure.
However, these Pacific Islanders from Micronesia are no longer on their native islands, but living in the large city of Honolulu, and are now consuming a western diet high saturated fat and sugar as well as sinking into a more sedentary life style. Heart disease has become an unwanted and mysterious companion for increasing numbers of them. The Sain Mamau health education team began visiting with individuals and setting up for their presentation.
“Some people are born with weak hearts,” one participant reported, “there isn’t a whole lot you can do about it.” The pre-education informal survey revealed many believed high blood pressure could go away on its own, and that you don’t necessarily need to see a doctor about it unless you consistently feel sick and are unable to complete normal everyday tasks.
The cardiovascular health presentation was culturally tailored to the group and the participants remained engaged, with many taking pictures and partial recordings of the session. Over 30 of the adults volunteered to have their blood pressure taken, and surprisingly, several presented with high to dangerously high blood pressure; none of whom were currently under the care of a local MD.
Those who had high blood pressure were given an opportunity to speak privately with the Health Educator, who was also an MSN, regarding basic questions relating to the presentation, high blood pressure, and how to make an appointment with a local MD. Many of the group expressed thanks for the education and of those identified with dangerously high blood pressure, about 80% reported seeing a local MD for a health check up following the outreach.
