Jaymes Buttrey

http://jaymesbuttrey.weebly.com
Biology 1615 Lab
July 14, 2014

A 16-Month Community-Based Intervention to Increase Aspirin Use for Primary Prevention of
Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the U.S.
Aspirin use has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Some of the diseases
aspirin has been shown to prevent are stroke and myocardial infarction. This 16 month
community based intervention research project took place in Hibbing, Minnesota. The objective
of the study was to evaluate an educational intervention program using a 3 tier approach in this
city. Research like this has never been completed, which led the researchers to not make any
predictions prior to it being implemented.
There was a 3-tier approach used in the project. Focus groups were used and information
was dispersed within Hibbing. One of the tiers was a one on one approach. Researchers
developed a self-assessment tool to provide individuals with a quick way to identify whether
they are at risk for cardiovascular disease based on health and lifestyle. These self-assessment
tools were then distributed to different places. This included physician clinics, pharmacies, work
sites, and public/private organizations. The purpose was to make quick points to identify
individual risks for cardiovascular disease. The second tier was a group level intervention
approach. This was to take health care providers and workers and educate them on how to
identify the patients they had that could benefit from an aspirin regime. The third tier was a
community wide intervention. This was accomplished by mass media messages being distributed
through 2 sequential waves. These media messages included daily print advertisements, multiple
radio broadcasts, billboards, and online advertisements.
Phone calls were made to set up an initial baseline. After the initial phone call, a follow
up letter was sent out to inform the residents of Hibbing. Results were obtained twice, first at 4
months and then again at 16 months. This allowed the researchers to see how the 2 sequential
waves of media distribution were affected.
At the initial baseline, 36% of the candidates reported using aspirin. After 4 months, the
number increased to 54%. This percentage was actually sustained at 16 months with 56%. The
amount of participants that had heard or seen the media messages at 4 months was 46%. After 6
months, it jumped to 63%. The reason for taking aspirin varied. Those that started taking aspirin
because of a physician referral was 68% at 4 months and then 71% at 16 months. Media message
response started at 66% at 4 months, and actually decreased to 46% at 16 months. Those
participants that started an aspirin regime due to a family member or friend recommendation was
least effective with less than 30%.
Attitudes on aspirin use varied from those that were already taking aspirin to those that
hadnt been taking aspirin before the project started. Regular aspirin users were more likely to
discuss their use with a physician or health care worker. They also believed aspirin use could
prevent a heart attack or stroke more than those that werent taking aspirin.
Increased aspirin use was most productive from a physician referral. The media campaign
increased knowledge and awareness, but it didnt continue to increase aspirin use during the 16
month project. Numbers showed that at 4 months, 66% of the participants were taking aspirin in
response to the media messages, while at 16 months it decreased to 46%. This was a 20% drop in
numbers. Results did show the overall outcome that was desired. Although small, aspirin use
increased. Because this was the first type of research done on the subject, it had errors. There
was no control group like most research studies have. The more time spent on the project, the
more the numbers could evolve and change to show more participation in an aspirin regime.















Works Cited
Oldenburg NC, Duval S, Luepker RV, Finnegan JR, LaMarre H, Peterson KA, et al. A 16-Month
Community-Based Intervention to Increase Aspirin Use for Primary Prevention of
Cardiovascular Disease. Preventing Chronic Disease. Pages 1-10. 2014