Comparative Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Latinos: A Systematic Review.

The review included only peer-reviewed articles, so publication bias is possible. It excluded trials of people with existing cardiovascular disease who needed self-management, so it does not address secondary prevention in diagnosed patients. Most included studies enrolled women, and many participants were of Mexican descent, so findings may not apply to other Latino groups or men. Diet and physical activity were mostly measured by self-report, and the authors note possible recall bias, social desirability, and underreporting of physical activity. Common weaknesses across trials included short follow-up of less than 12 months, high attrition of more than 20%, potential contamination between groups, and lack of attention-control groups. No included trial was nurse-led, so the review does not show what nurses themselves can achieve with the same interventions.

The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that community health worker or group education programs reliably reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, or weight. Also, do not read this as evidence that nurse-led counseling works, because none of the included trials were nurse-led.