The effect of family empowerment on preventive lifestyle of cardiovascular disease risk factors in middle-aged women during the covid-19 pandemic: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The Covid-19 pandemic doubled the need for creative interventions to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of intervention based on family empowerment on preventive lifestyle of cardiovascular disease risk factors in middle-aged women.

In this randomized clinical trial study, 74 middle-aged women covered by comprehensive health service centers in the south of Tehran were selected based on inclusion criteria and randomly assigned to two intervention and control groups and were investigated. The family-centered empowerment program based on the preventive lifestyle of the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases was conducted for the intervention group during 6 sessions and each session lasted for 30 minutes virtually and through the WhatsApp application. After 8 weeks, the questionnaires were re-completed and the data were collected using demographic information, Food Frequency questionnaire, Baecke and metabolic health questionnaires and descriptive statistics methods (frequency distribution tables - index numerical values calculation) and inferential statistics (chi-square test, independent t, paired t and Fisher) were used and analyzed in SPSS statistical software version 20.

The findings of this study showed that the average age in the control group was 44.03 ± 2.35 in the intervention group was 46.65 ± 3.29 and the intervention and control groups were homogenous in terms of demographic variables, eating habits, physical activity, and metabolic health, and there were no significant differences (P<0.001). After the intervention in metabolic health (control of blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and smoking), physical activity and eating habits, there was a significant difference between the two groups, which indicates the effectiveness of the intended intervention (P<0.001).

Family empowerment is one of the most effective methods to prevent modifiable risk factors in chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. The covid-19 pandemic created a good opportunity for families to participate in the implementation of the above programs. Programs that focus on the foundation of the family leads positive effects in the direction of educating people, especially older people in the family, in relation to changing behavior, and it can be used as a safe and effective method for cardiovascular disease prevention.