Nutrition and Emotional Health Education: The Use of Emotional Intelligence and a Plant-Based Diet to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk.

Background: For individuals living with chronic conditions like diabetes mellitus and obesity, there is a need for sustainable behavioral strategies and physiologic tools. These tools support identifying and addressing barriers to healthy eating, reducing body mass index (BMI), and building increased physical resilience in real time. Objective: To evaluate whether a 12-week learning management system designed to combine nutritional intervention with education and coaching on improving emotional intelligence (EI) could alter cardiometabolic outcomes. Methods: This pre-post prospective study enrolled 37 adult volunteers with BMI greater than 25 to participate in a 12-week learning management system. Primary (BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein [LDL], high-density lipoprotein, and fasting glucose levels) and secondary self-reported outcomes were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 6 months after enrollment using Short Form-36, Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi), and Whole Health Index (WHI). Linear mixed-effects regression models with random effect were used to estimate changes in primary and secondary outcomes. We adjusted for multiple testing using Holm step-down method. Results: BMI and LDL were the only primary endpoints lower at program completion and 6-month follow-up compared to baseline levels (-1.63 and -17.77 mg/dL, respectively; P < .001). Secondary outcomes showing statistically significant improvement from baseline to 6-month follow-up included energy/fatigue (Short Form-36), self-regard (EQi), decision-making (EQi), impulse control (EQi), stress management (EQi), Whole Brain - Form A (WHI), Whole Food - Form C (WHI), and Whole Body - Form D (WHI). Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence that lifestyle programs combining nutritional interventions and EI can have a significant impact on BMI and LDL. Our study highlights the potential importance of both nutrition and EI in programs targeting diet and lifestyle modification.

Creating a Dementia Friendly Community in an African American Neighborhood: Perspectives of People Living with Dementia, Care Partners, Stakeholders, and Community Residents.

A dementia friendly community allows people with dementia and their care partners to remain engaged in their community well into the disease. This study presents the results of primary research aimed at exploring perceptions regarding building a dementia friendly community in an African American neighborhood in northeast Florida. Twelve focus groups and five interviews were conducted with people living with dementia, informal and formal care partners, community stakeholders and neighborhood residents, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Three main themes emerged from the analyses, including (1) perceived needs, (2) facilitators and barriers to being dementia friendly, and (3) opportunities for the community to become more dementia friendly. Study findings highlight the unique needs of a single African American neighborhood and the importance of culturally tailoring the dementia friendly model to diverse communities.

Testing an Alzheimer's Disease Educational Approach in Two African American Neighborhoods in Florida.

African Americans experience a significantly greater burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to non-Hispanic White Americans. Raising awareness and increasing knowledge of AD within African American communities is an important step towards addressing these disparities. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two approaches to sharing AD knowledge with community residents. Using a quasi-experimental design, African American participants were recruited through community partners and local resources in two comparable neighborhoods in Duval County, Florida, which formed the intervention and the comparison groups for this study. The identical 40-min educational lecture was provided to both groups. In the intervention community, the lecture was followed by focus group sessions modeled after the Dementia Friendly America toolkit. In the comparison community, the lecture was followed by a social event where participants could interact informally with the speaker and dementia outreach staff. A brief quantitative survey assessing AD knowledge was administered to participants in both groups before the education session, immediately after the lecture, and 2 months later. Results indicate that both groups improved their knowledge scores at immediate post-test. Scores for both groups declined at 2-month follow-up, but the comparison group's scores declined more precipitously than the intervention group's scores (p = 0.0.21). These results suggest that conducting focus groups and interviews following a lecture on AD may help better retain AD knowledge over time.

Development of novel home-based tampon sampling for endometrial cancer: findings from community-based focus groups with Black and White women.

Novel endometrial cancer (EC) early-detection approaches may reduce racial disparities in mortality. We conducted six community-based focus groups with White and Black women (N = 57 participants) in February-March 2020 to explore acceptability of a home-based tampon sampling approach for EC. Participants also completed a survey. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Awareness of EC and risk factors was low. Acceptability regarding home sampling was high, but participants expressed concerns about instruction complexity and potential risks. Black women reported lower comfort with tampons. Increasing EC awareness, self-efficacy, and familiarization with tampons would advance prospects for at-home sample collection for EC testing.

Researchers' experiences working with community advisory boards: How community member feedback impacted the research.

INTRODUCTION: To assess researchers' experiences working with community advisory boards (CABs) and perceptions of how community member stakeholder feedback impacted the research. METHODS: Individual interviews were conducted with researchers (n= 34) who had presented their research to a Mayo Clinic CAB (at MN, AZ, or FL) from 2014 to 2017, with an average interview duration of 10-15 min. Researchers were asked "In what ways did the feedback you received from the CAB influence your research?" A validated, structured, 7-item interview was used to assess domains of the potential influence that CABs had on the research: (1) pre-research (e.g., generated ideas), (2) infrastructure (e.g., budget preparation), (3) research design, (4) implementation (e.g., research recruitment), (5) analysis, (6) dissemination, and (7) post-research. A total mean score was calculated with a possible range of 0-7. In addition, open-ended examples and feedback from researchers in response to each domain were summarized for themes using content analysis. RESULTS: Researchers reported that the CAB influenced research in the following domains: pre-research (24%), infrastructure (24%), study design (41%), implementation (41%), analysis (6%), dissemination (24%), and post-research activities (18%). The mean total score was = 1.8 (SD = 1.7, range: 0-6). Open-ended responses revealed major themes of CAB helpfulness in generating/refining ideas, identifying community partners, culturally tailored and targeted recruitment strategies, intervention design and delivery, and dissemination. CONCLUSION: Findings from this preliminary evaluation indicate that despite positive experiences noted in open-ended feedback, the perceived quantitative impact of CAB feedback on the research was moderate. Bidirectional communication between researchers and community member stakeholders has the potential to make clinical and translational research more relevant and appropriate.

Perspectives regarding family disclosure of genetic research results in three racial and ethnic minority populations.

The lack of data on perspectives of racial and ethnic minority populations regarding family disclosure of individual research results (IRR) hinders the development of return of IRR policies and practices that are meaningful and culturally appropriate in diverse populations. This research aims to uncover preferences regarding family disclosure of IRR and identify factors that may shape the preferences in three minority populations. Nine focus groups with 68 adult African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals were conducted. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants were willing to share IRR with relatives who elected to know and preferred a participant-driven (vs. researcher-driven) decision-making process. Privacy of personal information was deemed important, as were anticipated familial benefits from genetic information, except when improper use of the information was suspected. Factors influencing family disclosure decisions included the family's biological and emotional closeness, and participants' perceived mental preparedness of the relative. Family disclosure of IRR among racial and ethnic minority individuals is a complex decision-making process wherein issues of individual privacy are entangled with family dynamic and familial benefit considerations. These data suggest that policies surrounding family disclosure of IRR should carefully consider participant preferences and adopt a participant-driven approach.

Addressing community health needs through community engagement research advisory boards.

Over 80% of CTSA programs have a community advisory board (CAB). Little is known about how research discussed with CABs aligns with community priorities (bidirectionality). This program evaluation assessed researcher presentations from 2014 to 2018 to the CABs linked to our CTSA at all three sites (Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida) for relevance to local community needs identified in 2013 and/or 2016. From content analysis, of 65 presentations total, 41 (63%) addressed ≥1 local health needs (47% Minnesota, 60% Florida, and 80% Arizona). Cross-cutting topics were cancer/cancer prevention (physical activity/obesity/nutrition) and mental health. Results could help to prioritize health outcomes of community-engaged research efforts.

Using Garden Cafés to engage community stakeholders in health research.

Science Cafés, informal venues to promote bidirectional dialog, inquiry and learning about science between community members, scientists, healthcare and service providers, hold promise as an innovative tool for healthcare researchers and community members to improve health outcomes, especially among populations with health disparities. However, the process of optimizing science cafés is under-studied. We describe the pilot evaluation of a series of Science Cafés, called Garden Cafés (n = 9), conducted from September 2015 through April 2016 in Olmsted County, MN and Duval County, FL to connect Mayo Clinic researchers and local service providers with the community. Selection of discussion topics was guided by a county health needs assessment, which identified community priorities. Before leaving the events, community participants completed a brief anonymous survey assessing sociodemographics and their knowledge of research benefits, readiness to participate as a partner in health research, and health and science literacy confidence. Of the 112 attendees who responded, 51% were female and 51% were Black. Respondents reported that participating in the event significantly improved (all at p<0.001) their understanding on all three measures. Preliminary findings suggest that Garden Cafés are an effective forum to increase community understanding and disposition to collaborate in health research, especially in members from diverse backgrounds.

Health Behaviors and Preventive Healthcare Utilization Among African-American Attendees at a Faith-Based Public Health Conference: Healthy Churches 2020.

Unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity along with lack of access to quality healthcare contribute to the marked health disparities in chronic diseases among African-Americans. Faith-based public health conferences offer a potential opportunity to improve health literacy and change health behaviors through health promotion within this population, thereby reducing health disparities. This study examined the self-reported health behaviors and preventive healthcare utilization patterns of 77 participants at a predominantly African-American faith-based public health conference, Healthy Churches 2020. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a sample of attendees to assess their health behaviors (diet and physical activity), preventive healthcare utilization (annual healthcare provider visits), and health-promoting activities at their places of worship. The results indicate that attendees of a faith-based public health conference have adequate preventive healthcare utilization, but suboptimal healthy behaviors. Our findings support the need for ongoing health-promoting activities with an emphasis on diet and physical activity among this population.

Prevalence of BCL-2/J(H) Translocation in Healthy African Americans.

The translocation t(14;18)(q32;q21) (BCL-2/J(H)) is present in over 80 % of all follicular lymphomas and is detectable in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of healthy individuals. The prevalence of this translocation has not been studied in African Americans (AAs). Given the higher incidence of follicular lymphomas in whites compared to AAs in the United States (USA), we hypothesized that the translocation prevalence in the blood of AAs would be lower. DNA was isolated from PBL from blood samples collected from participants from FL. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on the BCL-2/J(H) major (MBC) and minor breakpoint cluster (mBC) regions. Eight of the 77 (10.4 %) blood samples from AA participants were positive for MBC (95 % CI, 4.6-19.5 %), and three (3.9 %) were positive for mBC (95 % CI, 0.81-10.97 %) of BCL-2/J(H), with a total of 11 (14.3 %) participants with positive samples (95 % CI, 7.35-24.13 %). In 167 white patient samples, 22 (13.2 %; 95 % CI, 8.44-19.26 %) were positive for MBC, and five (3.0 %; 95 % CI, 0.98-6.85 %) were positive for mBC, with a total of 25 (15 %) participants with positive samples (CI, 9.93-21.30 %). The prevalence of t(14;18)(q32;q21) is not significantly different among AAs and whites from the USA. The lower prevalence of follicular lymphomas in AAs compared with whites is likely a result of differences in secondary molecular alterations involved in follicular lymphoma development. This study is the first report of prevalence of t(14;18) in an AA cohort.