Dr. John Amoah

Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana

Abstract Title: Effects of a school-based intervention to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors among secondary school students: A cluster-randomized, controlled trial

Biography:

John Amoah has completed his PhD from University Putra, Malaysia. He is a Research Fellow with the Kintampo Health Research Centre with over 20 years research experience in Public Health Epidemiology. He has published 10 papers in reputed journals.

Research Interest:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number cause of death worldwide. In Ghana CVD has been the leading cause of death since 2001. This study seeks to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a behavioral modification intervention program to reduce CVD risk factors among secondary school students in Ghana. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted over a period of six-months with pre and post intervention evaluations. Participants were public secondary school students (14-19 years) in Bono East, Ghana. Students in the intervention group were trained by the researchers whereas those of the control group received no intervention. The intervention included health education and physical activity modules. Follow-up data were collected after the intervention was completed. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed after replacing missing values using multiple imputation method. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to assess the effects of the intervention The GLMM analyses showed the intervention was significant in attaining 0.77(p<0.001), 0.72(p<0.001), 0.47(p<0.001), 0.56(p<0.001), and 0.39(p=0.045) higher total physical activity, fruits, vegetables, seafood, and water scores respectively for the intervention group over the control group. The intervention was also significant in reducing -0.15(p<0.001),-0.23(p<0.001),-0.90(p<0.001),-38(p<0.001),,-1.63(p<0.001),-0.61(p<0.001), and -1.53(p=0.005) carbohydrates, fats and oils, carbonated drinks, sugar, weight, BMI, and diastolic BP. Odds of quitting alcohol use in the intervention group was 1.06 times more than the control group. There was no significant effect on reducing smoking and systolic BP. There is an urgent need for the intervention program to be integrated into existing curriculum structure of secondary school schools.