AUTHOR=Boden-Albala Bernadette , Draughter-Espinoza Darnisha , Castro Megan , Gutierrez Desiree , Cardenas Cassandra , Landry Matthew J. , Wing Jeffrey , Albala Bruce 

TITLE=Knowledge, barriers, and facilitators for promoting cardiovascular health in a Latino community: a qualitative sub-study of the Skills-based Educational Strategies for Reduction of Vascular Events in Orange County

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1531775

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1531775

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=IntroductionCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death, and disproportionately affects racial-ethnic groups. Community-engaged research is an important avenue to address health disparities, and understand barriers faced by vulnerable populations. This qualitative study is a sub-study of the Skills-based Educational Strategies for Reduction of Vascular Events in Orange County (SERVE OC) clinical trial (Trial ID NCT05641519), which employed focus group discussions to gain insight into community understanding of CVD within the local Latino community of Orange County. The study also aimed to identify themes of (1) community knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward CVD prevention, (2) barriers and facilitators to implementing a family-based intervention, and (3) community-level barriers and solutions to optimal heart health to inform the adaptation of SERVE OC’s intervention. Further, this study aimed to examine subthemes for each major theme, including (1) limited CVH knowledge, cultural and gender norms, and misinformation (2) barriers to CVH, including transportation, technology, financial and work constraints; facilitators including CHW and family dynamics (3) community barriers including cost, resources, and environment; community solutions including community infrastructure and access to resources.MethodsFourteen focus groups (n = 69) were conducted over a 20-month period using a semi-structured interview format. Participants consisted of community family members, community health professionals, and SERVE OC clinical trial participants. Dedoose was utilized to code for thematic analysis, guided by the Social Ecological Model and Social Network Theory.ResultsThree themes were identified: (1) Community CVD knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs; (2) Barriers and facilitators to implementing family-based interventions; and (3) the identification of structural/community level barriers along with community levels strategies to achieving optimal cardiovascular health.DiscussionFindings showed significant gaps in CVD knowledge and prevention, including understanding of nutrition and barriers to access for healthy foods. Focus groups provided insight into the critical role of familial support in health behaviors and outcomes, and barriers and facilitators for family-based interventions. These results help tailor the SERVE OC family-based intervention in real-time, allowing for a more targeted approach to addressing cardiovascular-related challenges within the Latino community. Through these community-engagement methods, SERVE OC can optimize program design and implementation, maximizing the positive impact of the CVD risk reduction initiative.Clinical trial registrationhttp://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05641519.