The Impact of a Race-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on Well-Being, Inflammation, and DNA Methylation in African American Women at Risk for Cardiometabolic Disease
Loyola University
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a stress reduction program called Resilience, Stress, and Ethnicity (RiSE) improves well-being, inflammation, and the epigenome in African American (AA) women who have risk factors for heart or metabolic disease. The main question it aims to answer is whether an intervention that integrates cognitive-behavioral strategies focused on the impact that social stress, such as racism, has on the body, racial identity development, and empowerment. Participants will placed in one of the two following groups: * The RiSE program will focus on teaching participants how to reduce their stress levels and will meet online weekly for approximately 2 hours each week for 8 consecutive weeks. * The Health Education program will include education on how to improve general health and will meet online weekly for approximately 2 hours each week for 8 consecutive weeks. Participants will provide saliva to measure cytokines and DNA methylation (DNAm), complete questionnaires, and have blood pressure, heart rate, and weight measured at the following clinic visits: 1. Prior to starting the intervention 2. Mid-way through the intervention (Week 4) 3. End of the intervention (Week 8) 4. Six (6) months after the completion of the intervention
Description
Participants of both programs - RiSE and Health Education Program (HEP) - will meet weekly for 8 consecutive weeks for approximately 2 hours every week. Two booster sessions will occur one month and two months after completion of the interventions. Classes will meet synchronously over Zoom. RiSE classes will be facilitated by two trained clinical psychologists. Expert speakers will be hired to provide the HEP classes (e.g dietician, pharmacist). The investigators will vary the time of day for each 8- week program in order to meet the scheduling needs of participants. Cohorts of 9-12 participan…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 50–75 years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Between the ages of 50 and 75 * Female * Post-menopausal (without menstrual period for at least 12 consecutive months) * Self-identified AA or Black * Able to write, read, speak English * Must have at least 1 of any of the following: * Waist circumference \>88 cm * Systolic BP\>130 mmHg and/ or diastolic BP\>88 mmHg or on antihypertensive medications * Diagnosed and/or being treated for hypercholesterolemia * History of Type 2 diabetes Exclusion Criteria: * History of myocardial infarction or ischemic heart disease/angina, stent placement, coronary artery bypa…
Interventions
- BehavioralRiSE
RiSE provides participants with a platform to share the emotional impact of race-based stress and to offer supportive listening to their peers. Participants explicitly discuss the experiences they have as African American women, taking into account the ways which the interaction between their racial and gender identities shapes their experiences. Facilitators review difficulties associated with addressing racism and unique experiences of Black women at interpersonal and structural levels, and provide evidence of strategies to promote effective communication and internal emotional regulation regarding experiences of racism. Facilitators provide psychoeducation on intersectionality, structural racism, overt racism, microaggressions, and internalized racism. Following this education, facilitators help participants utilize cognitive-behavioral strategies to understand consequent thoughts, feelings, and actions associated with such experiences.
- BehavioralHEP
The HEP group will consist of classes focusing on wellness promotion. Expert speakers provide the HEP classes (e.g dietician, pharmacist).
Location
- Loyola University ChicagoMaywood, Illinois