Exploring the intervention effect moderators of a cardiovascular health promotion study among rural African-Americans

Objective The purpose of this analysis was to examine the participant characteristics that served as intervention effect moderators of a cardiovascular health promotion intervention study. Design and sample This exploratory study was a secondary analysis of data collected during a cluster randomized controlled trial. The participants (n = 229) of the study were African-American adults recruited from 12 rural churches that were randomized to intervention (n = 6) and control (n = 6) groups. There were 115 individual participants in the intervention group, and 114 in the control group. Measures Cardiovascular health intentions, attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy for produce consumption, dietary fat intake, and exercise were measured to test the effect of the intervention. Linear mixed model was used to detect intervention effect moderators. Results Personal heart disease status was a moderator of intervention effects for intentions, norms, and self-efficacy regarding dietary fat intake and attitudes about produce consumption. Lacking a family heart disease history was a moderator for dietary fat intake self-efficacy, and age was a dietary fat norms moderator. Conclusions Knowledge about the moderators that influenced intervention outcomes can assist public health nurses in tailoring health promotion programs for underserved populations that can be implemented in community settings.