<p> Suboptimal cardiovascular health among African American (AA) women contributes to high costs of care related to acute illness, chronic illness, and disability. Using the health promotion model, this needs assessment project examined risk factors that predispose adult AA women between the ages of 21 to 64 years of age to higher incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Seventy of the 300 charts that met the inclusion criteria (female AA patients, 21 to 64 years of age, receiving care in a community clinic in an urban city of Texas) were audited for this project. Descriptive analysis showed that 66% of the women did not have a diagnosis of CVD, 32% were noted as being at risk for CVD, and risk for diagnosis of CVD was not listed in 3% of the charts. The audit also showed that 7% of the AA women did not monitor their diet, 60% monitored their diet, and 33% lacked knowledge of heart healthy diet. Sixty-seven percent of charts audited noted a family history of CVD, 33% noted no family history of CVD, while 3% noted an unknown family history of CVD. The ages of the patients ranged from 21&ndash;64 (<i>M</i> = 24.9 years). Weight ranged from 104&ndash;225 lbs. (<i>M</i> = 172.5 lbs.) and height ranged between 52-73 inches (<i>M</i> = 61.13 inches). Body mass index (BMI) calculated showed 1.43% of the women were underweight, 11.4% showed normal BMI, 32.86% were overweight, and 54.29% were obese. Study recommendation included implementation of a patient education that will help increase awareness of CVD among the patient population at the clinic. Findings from this project could increase awareness on the importance of creating cultural congruent education program that will help educate minority populations more effectively in the management of cardiovascular disease.</p>

African Americans diagnosed with diabetes are less likely to self-manage diabetes-specific modifiable risk factors. As a result, utilization of healthcare services occurs at a greater rate than other racial groups, and thereby incurs higher than expected healthcare costs. This ethnographic study explored the elements of diabetes educational material African Americans in a large city in the southern part of the United States found most useful to facilitate self-management of their disease. Bandura's self-efficacy theory provided the theoretical framework. Research questions addressed the preferred educational content, layout of material, and methods for educational delivery and caregiver support. A purposive sample of 30 African Americans with diabetes who had engaged in diabetes education classes participated in this study. Data were collected through in-depth personal interviews, which were inductively coded and then categorized around emergent themes. A key finding of this study is that participants preferred group learning formats, but perceived educational material to be confusing and difficult to understand. They also expressed some preferences for the use of color, pictures, and presentation of graphical information that may provide the basis for a revision of educational materials. Interestingly, participants indicated a tendency to seek out church members rather than family for support. The positive social change implications of this study include recommendations to healthcare professionals to adopt educational curricula that reflect cultural nuances and needs of target populations in order to support better health outcomes for at-risk populations and cost efficiency improvements.