Techquity by FAITH! (Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Health)
Abstract
Led by preventive cardiologist and Associate Professor of Medicine Dr. LaPrincess Brewer of Mayo Clinic, this project aims to improve the heart health of African Americans through a specialized mobile health app enhanced with digital health advocate support. The project will work closely with churches in the Twin Cities and Southeastern Minnesota to train faith leaders in providing technical support and to co-create a toolkit with African American church members. The study will engage 20 churches to assess how digital health advocate support can enhance heart health and technology adoption while also addressing MCC within this community. Along with Dr. Brewer, the research team also includes Drs. Demilade Adedinsewo, Lisa Cooper, Sharonne Hayes, and Christi Patten, along with community consultant Clarence Jones. Additional study partners include the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. and Northstar Digital Literacy.
Aims
- Engage African-American churches in the co-design of a culturally relevant digital health equity (DHE) toolkit.
- Train a network of digital health advocates (DHAs) in digital health readiness and cardiovascular health promotion, using the community-informed DHE toolkit and culturally-tailored community health advocacy training from the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc.
- Assess the efficacy and impact of a community-informed, culturally relevant, mobile health (mHealth) intervention (the FAITH! App) with DHA network support on overall cardiovascular health.
This study will be among the first to develop and test the impact of a DHA-enhanced, mHealth intervention in advancing cardiovascular health equity and Techquity. The project will also yield a community-based participatory research (CBPR) -derived, social network-informed, DHE toolkit and DHA network for broader dissemination among under-resourced populations.
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