Understanding and Improving Modifiable Cardiovascular Risks Within the Air Force

This is a mixed methods research study designed to identify and improve the factors that that influence the modifiable cardiovascular risks among active duty military members in the United States Air Force.  In the military, cardiac-related diagnoses are the primary non-injury cause for critical care transport from the deployed setting and cardiovascular risks, including the prevalence of hypertension and smoking rates, exceed civilian rates despite comprehensive healthcare.  

This mixed methods research study is designed to identify and improve the factors that that influence the modifiable cardiovascular risks among active duty military members in the United States Air Force.  Although these factors have been partially identified in the civilian population these factors have not been described in military personnel.  This has been an ongoing challenge for military clinicians, as little is currently known about factors that can or should be modified for use with military members. To address this gap in the science, the first phase of this study will begin with a descriptive, qualitative analysis of the predisposing, reinforcing, and challenging factors that influence the lifestyle choices (Aim 1).  A lifestyle modification intervention will then be developed in collaboration with the study participants to improve modifiable cardiovascular risks (Aim 2).  The second phase of the study consists of a modest pilot study to pretest the feasibility of this lifestyle behavioral intervention (Aim 3).  Both psychosocial and physiologic results will be measured before and after the intervention to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of the program.  It is anticipated that this intervention could be transferrable to other military bases in other services, following a processes and outcomes evaluation study; the intervention may prove to be a potential model for evidenced-based “best” practice in military health nursing.  Most importantly, the knowledge gleaned about the predisposing, reinforcing, and challenging factors that influence cardiovascular risks and the response to a participant-designed intervention will assist military clinicians in their effort to reduce cardiovascular risks and improve cardiovascular health outcomes of the military population.

Final Report is available on NTRL: https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/searchResults/titleDetail/PB2014100...