Kelpin, Sydney S.

Purpose To develop a culturally-tailored American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women’s Facebook group supporting opioid recovery as an adjunct to medication. Design Community-based, qualitative approach. Setting Minnesota, U.S. Participants AI/AN women in opioid recovery, interested parties, and a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) of AI/AN women with lived experience, health care providers, and community members. Intervention We developed evidence-based content focusing on stress/trauma and substance use, mindfulness, responding to triggers, and supportive community resources. Additional content centered on AI/AN culture was also selected. Method Interviews were conducted by two women, then transcribed and coded using content analysis with NVivo software. Results were presented to CAC for further content refinement. Results CAC members (n = 10) guided study methods, intervention development, and dissemination activities. 14 AI/AN women (mean age 36.4 years; mean 6.7 months opioid abstinence) and 12 interested parties (7 men, 5 women) were receptive to an AI/AN gender-specific Facebook group, preferring content with AI/AN people and/or text resonating with AI/AN culture (e.g., Native traditions, family, personal stories, historical trauma). Recommendations included (1) protect confidentiality, (2) retain positivity, (3) incorporate resources and exercises to build coping skills, and (4) moderators should be authentic and relatable to build trust. Conclusions Our approach provides a model for developing culturally tailored, appealing and effective social media interventions to support AI/AN women in recovery from opioid use disorder.

Objective: Health coaching has the potential to improve self-management abilities (SM) in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Patient engagement with health care providers has a beneficial effect on patient outcomes. We examined the association of patient engagement with the health coach on SM abilities in patients with COPD. Methods: We analyzed the association between the degree of engagement measured by the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI-SR) and the SM measured by the Self-Management-Ability-Scale-30 (SMAS-30) at the end of a COPD health coaching intervention. Results: The cohort included 146 moderate to severe COPD patients. The WAI-SR total score was 85% of the maximum possible scores indicating a high degree of engagement between the health coach and the patients. The WAI-SR Task and Bond domains were positively associated with SM abilities after adjusting for lung function (FEV1 %) and depression symptoms (PHQ-2). Conclusion: The degree of engagement between a health coach and patients is associated with the perception of SM abilities in patients with COPD. Our results may inform self-management intervention and clinical practice.

Purpose To examine the feasibility and acceptability of a social network weight loss intervention delivered by lay health promoters (HPs) to immigrant populations. Design Single-arm, non-randomized, pilot study of a social network weight loss intervention developed by a community-based participatory research partnership and delivered by HPs. Setting Community-based setting in Southeastern Minnesota, United States. Sample Somali and Hispanic immigrants to the United States: 4 social networks of adults (2 Hispanic and 2 Somali) with 39 network participants. Intervention Twelve-week behavioral weight loss intervention delivered by HPs (4 weeks in-person and then 8 weeks virtual). Measures Feasibility was assessed by recruitment and retention rates. Acceptability was assessed by surveys and focus groups with HPs and participants. Behavioral measures included servings of fruits and vegetables, drinking soda, and physical activity. Physiologic measures included weight, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Analysis Paired t-tests of pre- to post-intervention changes at the end of 12 weeks of treatment. Results Recruitment was feasible and post-intervention was 100%. Participants highly rated the intervention on satisfaction, motivation, and confidence to eat a healthy diet, be physically active, and lose weight. Participants were motivated by group social support and cohesion of their social networks. On average, participants lost weight (91.6 ± 15.9 to 89.7 ± 16.6 kg, P < .0001), lowered their systolic blood pressure (133.9±16.9 to 127.2 ± 15.8 mm Hg; P < .001), lowered their diastolic blood pressure (81 ± 9.5 to 75.8 ± 9.6 mm Hg; P < .0001), had more servings of vegetables per day (1.9 ± 1.2 to 2.6 ± 1.4; P < .001), and increased their physical activity (2690 ± 3231 to 6595 ± 7322 MET-minutes per week; P = .02). Conclusion This pilot study of 2 immigrant communities who participated in a peer-led weight loss social network intervention delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated high feasibility and acceptability. Participants lost weight, improved their health status, and improved their health behaviors.