Municipal community centers as healthy settings: evaluation of a real-world health promotion intervention in Jerusalem.

Background: This study presents an intervention designed to foster the implementation of health promotion programs within District Municipality Community Centers (DMCCs) in Jerusalem, and the creation of a peer network of healthy settings with a shared aspiration of collaborating and implementing health-promoting policies at the community level. We also present the evaluation strategy, based on the EQUIHP and RE-AIM frameworks.

Methods: Twenty DMCCs completed our program.

A decade of progress: comparative evaluation of the Israel Healthy Cities Network.

Established in 1990, Israel's Healthy Cities Network (HCN) performed its first evaluation in 2003-2004. A decade later, the present evaluation was implemented to assess members' compliance with the European HCN requirements and to determine progress made since the initial evaluation. A total of 31 of the existing 42 HCN members participated in this mixed methods evaluation.

Do Patients Seek Women-Centered Cardiac Care? Patient Experience of an All-Female Multidisciplinary Heart Center for Women.

Purpose: Cardiovascular disease in women is frequently under-diagnosed and under-treated. Numerous heart centers for women have opened throughout the world to address these disparities; however, there is a paucity of data regarding participants' perspectives. The current study assesses motivation to participate and perceived benefits in attending a heart center for women (HCW) in Jerusalem, Israel.

Health ambassadors in the workplace: a health promotion intervention mobilizing middle managers and RE-AIM evaluation of outcomes.

Background: The workplace provides an ideal setting for health promotion, as adults spend most of their day at work. Middle managers hold a strategic position to lead workplace health promotion. This study evaluates the outcomes of an intensive intervention training middle managers to promote health in the workplace.

Two-Phase Evaluation of a Community-Based Lifestyle Intervention for Palestinian Women in East Jerusalem: A Quasi-Experimental Study Followed by Dissemination.

Palestinian-Arab women are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to high prevalence of diabetes and other risk factors. The current study investigates the effectiveness of an intensive group-based intervention on lifestyle habits that can prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease. To that end, we conducted a group-based intervention based on the diabetes prevention program in two consecutive phases.

Cardiovascular disease risk factors and health behaviors of ultra-Orthodox Jewish women in Israel: a comparison study.

Women from low socio-economic, culturally insular populations are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) community in Israel is a rapidly growing low socio-economic, insular, cultural-ethnic minority with numerous obstacles to health. The current cross-sectional study investigates CVD-related health behaviors and risk factors in a sample of UOJ females, comparing sample characteristics with the general population.

Psychosocial Functioning, BMI, and Nutritional Behaviors in Women at Cardiovascular Risk.

Psychosocial factors such as depression, anxiety, and stress are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Health behaviors may play a role in this relationship, as individuals experiencing elevated levels of anxiety, stress, and/or depression may be less likely to engage in risk-reducing behaviors such as diet and exercise. Some evidence suggests that this relationship is particularly relevant for women.

Integration of Mixed Methods in Community-Based Participatory Research: Development of a Disease Prevention Intervention for Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Women.

Purpose: To describe the development of the first disease prevention intervention with ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) women in Israel using mixed methods and community-based participatory research (CBPR).

Design: This collaborative, 7-staged development process used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design integrated into a community-based participatory approach.

Setting: The UOJ community in Israel, a high-risk, low socioeconomic, culturally insular minority that practices strict adherence to religious standards, maintains determined seclusion from mainstream culture and preserves traditional practices including extreme modesty and separation between the sexes.

Cardiovascular health literacy and patient-physician communication intervention in women from disadvantaged communities.

Background: For many women in low socioeconomic status communities, limited health literacy is an obstacle to following medical guidance and engaging in health-promoting behaviours. Low health literacy skills are also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Design: A health literacy intervention was designed through focus groups with women in low socioeconomic status communities.