Cardiac program does a heart good

Edmonton expands initiative to benefit South Asian community

Story and Photo by Greg Kennedy

Edmonton’s South Asian community will soon benefit from better knowledge of heart disease as the CK Hui Heart Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital expands its Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program this year.

First launched for Edmonton’s Chinese community in 2009, this Alberta Health Services (AHS) program — then the first of its kind in Canada — reached out to young and old alike through community events, health fairs, public lectures, school visits and contests, and radio and print promotion with information that raised awareness of heart health and how to prevent heart disease.

Expansion of the program is made possible through a $250,000 donation by the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT and Nunavut is also a partner in this initiative.

“Our outreach efforts have been well-received among our Chinese population since the program launched three years ago. Now expansion of the program into the South Asian community, made possible by Foundation funding, has the potential to have a profound effect on thousands of more families in our community,” says Dr. Chris Eagle, AHS President and CEO.

“It’s a very comprehensive program and it’s still ongoing,” adds Dr. William Hui, Chief of Cardiology at the Royal Alex. “We’ll continue to serve the Chinese community and expand into the South Asian community, which is one of the highest-risk groups. That’s why they’re targeted in our second campaign.”

Currently estimated at 50,000 people, Edmonton’s growing South Asian community is now believed to be the city’s largest ethnic group. People of South Asian heritage develop severe heart disease 10 years earlier, on average, than the Caucasian population, for reasons that remain under investigation. South Asian countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

“A lot of the time, when (South Asians) settle in Canada, they work very hard and they don’t watch their heart health,” says Dr. Po Kee Cheung, lead cardiologist for the Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program. “As well, their diet is changing; sometimes this increases the likelihood of heart attack or heart disease. That’s why it’s important to let them know, for example, what to do when you have a heart attack — and how to prevent them through a healthier lifestyle.”

Dr. Sudheer Sharma will play a leadership role in the South Asian Heart Health Initiative as it enlists the support of cardiologists across the Edmonton Zone of AHS. Health professionals will work alongside South Asian community leaders and organizations to get the word out on the importance of exercise, a heart-healthy diet and not smoking.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has developed South Asian health promotion resources that are translated and culturally adapted to Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Tamil.

“We’re very excited about the South Asian Heart Health Initiative,” says Sharma. “This endeavour is an important step in both education and prevention.”

A former CK Hui Heart Centre patient says he supports the new campaign.

“I was very impressed with everyone who was involved with my care,” says Dharam Singh Dhabgotra, 69, who received a stent to improve his blood flow. “I know that the cardiology team at the Royal Alex has a long history of innovative patient care, and to know that they are taking that innovative approach into our community with the South Asian Heart Health Initiative is even more impressive.”

Hui points out the program’s success can’t be judged or measured in the short-term. “Ultimately, we will need to look at vital statistics down the road and compare them to historical data. After we’ve done this for five years, we’ll ask ourselves: ‘Can we see any difference or trend in heart health statistics for this community?’ ” he says.

“But I’m confident this program is making a difference in the heart health of our city.”