Healing and Empowering Alaskan Lives Towards Healthy-Hearts Study

Healing and Empowering Alaskan Lives Towards Healthy-Hearts Study

This study aims to identify effective and cost-effective interventions for tobacco use and other risk behaviors for cardiovascular disease among Alaska Native people in rural villages. In a randomized controlled trial, the study will compare interventions using telemedicine to promote the American Heart Association's identified ideal health behaviors (nonsmoking and physical activity) relative to ideal health factors (managing cholesterol and blood pressure).

In an RCT, we will compare 2 active treatments delivered over 12-months via telehealth services linking participants in rural villages to Anchorage and Stanford-based study counselors overcoming access-to-care for CV preventive health issues. The village AN health aides will facilitate data collection and telehealth connectivity. Intervention contacts occur at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-months follow-up, with the final assessment at 18-months. The repeated intervention contacts provide iterative computerized feedback reflecting prior responses and encouragement of adoption and maintenance of behavioral health goals. The groups are:

1. Tobacco/Physical Activity Intervention (n=150), consisting of a psychosocial component that includes counselor-facing computer-assisted intervention with tailored counseling feedback focused on increasing intrinsic motivation, goal setting for tobacco and physical activity, adherence with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT, patch plus gum or lozenge), and self-monitoring with a pedometer-based walking program. The study will provide 12-weeks of NRT for participants randomized to this intervention condition.
2. HTN/HCL (HTN/HC, n=150), consisting of a psychosocial component that includes counselor-facing computer-assisted intervention with tailored counseling feedback focused on increasing intrinsic motivation, goal setting for managing HTN and HCL, and adherence with antihypertensives and statins with supportive dietary changes. The AN health plan covers antihypertensive and statins as a benefit to patients and would be prescribed as part of standard of care (i.e., not prescribed for the purposes of this research); however, strategies to maximize medication adherence are needed, hence the focus of this intervention.

The counseling and print materials are highly individualized, unique to the participant, thereby minimizing the likelihood of cross-condition contamination, determined to be minimal in prior investigations. For the research study, participant eligibility criteria include AN heritage; daily cigarette smoking; and hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or established vascular disease. Intention to change the targeted risk behaviors will not be required to participate. Utilizing telemedicine technology and Transtheoretical Model-tailored interventions, the trial aims to reach at-risk AN people regardless of residential location or current motivation. The primary outcome is biochemically-confirmed tobacco abstinence using anabasine. Secondary outcomes include moderate-to-vigorous physical activity assessed by self-report, blood pressure, cholesterol ratio, medication adherence, dietary change, body mass index, Framingham index, multibehavioral impact factor, a linear index, and cost effectiveness.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Smoking > 5 cigarettes/day and > 100 cigarettes in one's lifetime
• Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or established vascular disease
• Fluent in English language

Exclusion Criteria:

• Dementia or other brain injury
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Currently engaged in tobacco treatment or using cessation pharmacotherapy