The impact of a race-based stress reduction intervention (RiSE) study in Chicago and NYC: design and methods for recruitment and intervention (Preprint)

Abstract

In recent years the prevalence of cardiometabolic disease (CMD) in women has drastically risen and the risk increases with age in comparison to men. Evidence demonstrates that stressful life events, including racism and perceived discrimination, contribute substantially to inflammatory diseases, such as CMD. Despite this evidence, few evidence-based interventions are available to assist minorities in coping with the chronic stress related to being a minority.

Our proposed randomized controlled trial (RCT) will test a novel, race-based intervention tailored to AA women, called Resilience, Stress, and Ethnicity (RiSE)

In this randomized controlled trial, we will randomize participants 1:1 to the 8-week, group–based Resilience, Stress, and Ethnicity (RiSE) program (intervention) or a health education program (HEP-attention control group). The primary endpoint will be stress at 6 months post-intervention, and the efficacy of RiSE will be evaluated for improving stress-related symptoms (chronic stress, racism, discrimination, and subjective social status), reducing inflammatory burden, and improving coping strategies in African American (AA) women at risk for CMD. Validated survey measures and biomarkers will be assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, completion of intervention, and 6 months post-intervention, and differences over time by intervention will be evaluated using mixed effects models.

Racism is a dangerous, pervasive, and unfortunately, growing problem in the U.S. It is essential to find a way to reduce the impact of racism on psychological and physical health at the individual level. RiSE reduces stress and has the potential to reduce the psychobiological consequences of racism and discrimination.

Despite evidence that racism and perceived discrimination heighten the inflammatory response and CMD, few evidence-based interventions are available to help minorities cope with unique stressors associated with being a minority. This study will be one of the first to examine a race-based stress reduction intervention in the AA woman population and has the potential to improve the health of minorities faced with the chronic stress associated with racism and discrimination.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05902741