Community Health Worker–Led Church-Based Plan to Improve Heart Health in African Americans
Official title: Community Health Worker-Led Church-Based Intervention for Eliminating Cardiovascular Health Disparities in African Americans
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11415130 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A CHW-led, church-based program will help African American adults in Louisiana reduce heart disease risk by putting proven prevention steps into everyday life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,296,135 |
| NIH project number | 5UH3HL151309-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415130 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older who are African American and at high risk for ASCVD, connected to participating churches in New Orleans or Bogalusa.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not at high ASCVD risk or not connected to participating church networks may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a church-based approach where community health workers coach people, support healthy habits, and promote medication adherence to lower ASCVD risk. It uses a cluster randomized design across 42 black churches in New Orleans and Bogalusa over 18 months, following the 2019 ACC/AHA prevention guidelines. The plan also measures how well the program is adopted and sustained in the church and community setting, using RE-AIM to capture real-world impact.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants could experience better heart health and fewer cardiovascular events through practical, community-driven care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior CHW and church-based health interventions have shown promise, but this study applies a rigorous hybrid design to test effectiveness and implementation at scale.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferdinand, Keith Copelin — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Ferdinand, Keith Copelin
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.