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Vida Sana: A Lifestyle Intervention for Uninsured, Predominantly Spanish-Speaking Immigrants Improves Metabolic Syndrome Indicators

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Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is an increasingly common condition that can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 35 % of adults living in the United States meet the criteria for having metabolic syndrome, with that number being even higher in populations with health disparities. We describe a ‘healthy lifestyles’ program implemented at a free clinic serving a predominantly Hispanic cohort of low-income, uninsured individuals living in Providence, Rhode Island. The “Vida Sana/Healthy Life” (Vida Sana) program uses low literacy, language-appropriate materials and trained peers to educate participants about healthy lifestyles in a setting that also provided opportunities for social engagement. 192 of 126 (65.6 %) participants in Vida Sana completed 6 out of 8 sessions of the Vida Sana program over a 12-month period. At the completion of the program, nearly 90 % of Vida Sana participants showed an increase in their health literacy, and at least 60 % of participants decreased each of the risk factors (blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index or waist circumference) associated with metabolic syndrome.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for the Vida Sana/Healthy Life program has been provided to CEHC by CVS, the American Medical Association Foundation and the Rhode Island Department of Health (Center for Health Equity and Wellness Program). More information about Clinica Esperanza/Hope Clinic and the Vida Sana/Healthy Life program can be found at http://www.aplacetobehealthy.org.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Jacob Buckley

  2. Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic, 60 Valley St., Providence, RI, 02909, USA

    Jacob Buckley, Valerie Joseph & Anne S. De Groot

  3. University of Rhode Island, 80 Washington St., Providence, RI, 02903, USA

    Shahla Yekta, Heather Johnson & Anne S. De Groot

  4. Institute for Education on Health and Research, Inc., Milton, MA, USA

    Susan Oliverio

  5. Center for Primary Care, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA

    Susan Oliverio

  6. Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA

    Susan Oliverio

  7. EpiVax, Inc., 146 Clifford St., Providence, RI, 02903, USA

    Anne S. De Groot

Authors
  1. Jacob Buckley
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  2. Shahla Yekta
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  3. Valerie Joseph
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  4. Heather Johnson
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  5. Susan Oliverio
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  6. Anne S. De Groot
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Correspondence to Anne S. De Groot.

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Buckley, J., Yekta, S., Joseph, V. et al. Vida Sana: A Lifestyle Intervention for Uninsured, Predominantly Spanish-Speaking Immigrants Improves Metabolic Syndrome Indicators. J Community Health 40, 116–123 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9905-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9905-z

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