Training Culturally Congruent Health Coaches to be Socially-Embedded Support on Physical Activity among Older Asian Americans: Phase One Report

Abstract

There is a reported heterogeneity in burden with cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Asian Americans subgroups. Physical inactivity is an identified key risk factor for CVD, across age and race/ethnic backgrounds. The latest data showed that 42% of Asian Americans are physically inactive.  Health coaching is a rapidly emerging primary or supplemental intervention to address issues related to preventable chronic illness, including physical inactivity. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to describe Phase One of this project - training of culturally congruent Health Coaches as socially embedded social support to promote physical activity to their older Asian communities. A 3-day training curriculum was developed based on the four pillars of Health Coaching and the Transtheoretical Model of Change. Fifteen Asian Americans Health Coaches were trained using this curriculum. Fifteen health coaches completed the 3-day training. Phase Two of this project is ongoing and results may provide information on the long-term effects of health coaching among older Asian Americans.