Advancing Health Equity and Preventive Cardiovascular Care in Indigenous and Remote Communities: a Mobile Healthcare Unit

NCT07869069 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 543568
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Indigenous people living in Canada face significant healthcare inequities, particularly in basic, primary, and secondary prevention, leading to higher rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality. This program aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the contextual and individual determinants influencing Indigenous health, and to address health disparities by using tailored community-led participatory research and care initiatives. The investigator and research team use a Mobile Healthcare Unit travelling to Indigenous communities, providing customized, impactful, and sustainable preventive care that adapts dynamically to the evolving needs of each community. The initiative places a strong emphasis on equity and inclusivity, aiming to generate original data in Indigenous and remote underrepresented/underserved populations. This proposal will improve opportunities of identifying facilitators and barriers to preventive care in Indigenous and remote communities. This focus is vital for reducing health disparities and aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. To maximize knowledge mobilization and ensure culturally appropriate initiatives align with community needs and priorities, this research program collaborates with the Indigenous University Hub at Laval University, local community members and leaders, and Indigenous peoples with lived experience. Existing national and international collaborations with Indigenous communities further enhance the initiative's potential impact and foster knowledge mobilization on a global scale. The ultimate goal is to empower Indigenous peoples and communities to advocate for systemic changes to fight inequities in healthcare in accordance with appropriated truth and reconciliation efforts.

Conditions

Cardiovascular (CV) Risk; Metabolic Health; Primary Prevention

Keywords

Cardiovascular Disease; Cardiovascular-Kidnay-Metabolic Health; Community-Driven AND Culturally Safe Care and Research; Diabetes; Health Equity and Inclusivity; Indigenous Health; Mobile Healthcare Unit; Preventive Care; Social Determinants of Health; Women's Health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (11)

• Height in meters

  Measured using a stadiometer

  Once, at baseline.

• Weight in kilograms

  Measured using an electronic body scale

  At baseline and at 1 year

• Body mass index in kg/(m^2)

  BMI will be calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of the height in meters

  At baseline and at 1 year

• Waist circumference in centimeters

  Waist circumference will be measured using an ergonomic circumference measuring tape

  At baseline and at 1 year

• Blood pressure

  In mm Hg, using a digital blood pressure device

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

• Lipid profile

  Assessment of hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, non-HDL-C in mmol/L) and apoB levels in g/L.

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

• Physical activity measure

  Using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

• Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)

  Blood test, expressed as %

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

• Dietary habits

  Frequency of intake per month of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, saturated fats and added sugars, using the Canadian Food Intake Screener.

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

• Smoking habits

  Self-reported smoking habits as current smoker, former smoker or never smoked, as well as frequency of smoking

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

• Framingham risk score

  Estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk, expressed as a percentage (%)

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Participant feedback on intervention

  At baseline and at one-year follow-up

Other Outcomes (3)

• Body fat distribution

  At baseline

• Liver fat content

  At baseline

• Arterial stiffness

  At baseline

Study Arms (1)

Preventive care

OTHER

Other: Cardiovascular risk screening; Other: Follow-up of cardiovascular risk factors

Interventions

Cardiovascular risk screening OTHER

Extensive cardiovascular risk screening offered locally in underserved/ underrepresented communities (see Study Description for more details)

Preventive care

Follow-up of cardiovascular risk factors OTHER

Measure changes in cardiovascular risk factors among participants who took place in the screening phase.

Preventive care

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 35 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• BMI \> 27 kg/m\^2

You may not qualify if:

• Being pregnant;
• Known heart condition

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Laval University: lead
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

IUCPQ-ULaval

Québec, Quebec, Canada

RECRUITING

Related Publications (11)

• Lajeunesse-Trempe F, Boit MK, Kaduka LU, De Lucia-Rolfe E, Baass A, Paquette M, Piche ME, Tchernof A, Christensen DL. Validation of the Fatty Liver Index for identifying non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Kenyan population. Trop Med Int Health. 2023 Oct;28(10):830-838. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13927. Epub 2023 Aug 31.

  PMID: 37650501 BACKGROUND

• Leveille N, Provost H, Keutcha Kamani C, Chen M, Deghan Manshadi S, Ades M, Shanahan K, Nauche B, Drudi LM. Exploring Prognostic Implications of Race and Ethnicity in Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease. J Surg Res. 2024 Oct;302:739-754. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2024.07.120. Epub 2024 Aug 30.

  PMID: 39216457 BACKGROUND

• Lajeunesse-Trempe F, Piche ME, Kaduka L, Lopez Y Taylor JR, Sagastume RC. Moving from helicopter research to proximity research and capacity building. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2025 Mar;36(3):193-195. doi: 10.1016/j.tem.2024.08.011. Epub 2024 Oct 1.

  PMID: 39358160 BACKGROUND

• Lane-Cordova AD, Khan SS, Grobman WA, Greenland P, Shah SJ. Long-Term Cardiovascular Risks Associated With Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: JACC Review Topic of the Week. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019 Apr 30;73(16):2106-2116. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.12.092.

  PMID: 31023435 BACKGROUND

• Powell-Wiley TM, Poirier P, Burke LE, Despres JP, Gordon-Larsen P, Lavie CJ, Lear SA, Ndumele CE, Neeland IJ, Sanders P, St-Onge MP; American Heart Association Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Clinical Cardiology; Council on Epidemiology and Prevention; and Stroke Council. Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2021 May 25;143(21):e984-e1010. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000973. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

  PMID: 33882682 BACKGROUND

• Norris CM, Yip CYY, Nerenberg KA, Clavel MA, Pacheco C, Foulds HJA, Hardy M, Gonsalves CA, Jaffer S, Parry M, Colella TJF, Dhukai A, Grewal J, Price JAD, Levinsson ALE, Hart D, Harvey PJ, Van Spall HGC, Sarfi H, Sedlak TL, Ahmed SB, Baer C, Coutinho T, Edwards JD, Green CR, Kirkham AA, Srivaratharajah K, Dumanski S, Keeping-Burke L, Lappa N, Reid RD, Robert H, Smith G, Martin-Rhee M, Mulvagh SL. State of the Science in Women's Cardiovascular Disease: A Canadian Perspective on the Influence of Sex and Gender. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Feb 18;9(4):e015634. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.119.015634. Epub 2020 Feb 17. No abstract available.

  PMID: 32063119 BACKGROUND

• Reading J. Confronting the Growing Crisis of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Health Among Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. Can J Cardiol. 2015 Sep;31(9):1077-80. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2015.06.012. Epub 2015 Jun 21.

  PMID: 26321431 BACKGROUND

• Piche ME, Tchernof A, Despres JP. Obesity Phenotypes, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Diseases. Circ Res. 2020 May 22;126(11):1477-1500. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.316101. Epub 2020 May 21.

  PMID: 32437302 BACKGROUND

• Aziz H, Marchand M, Pop C, King A, Anand SS, Arbour L, Atzema C, Spaziano M, Merveille N, Filimon S, Poirier P, Huynh T. A Call to Action: Optimizing Indigenous Cardiovascular Health in Canada. Can J Cardiol. 2022 Oct;38(10):1584-1587. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2022.06.011. Epub 2022 Jun 16. No abstract available.

  PMID: 35718241 BACKGROUND

• Lajeunesse-Trempe F, Piche ME, Poirier P, Tchernof A, Ayotte P. Adiposity Phenotypes and Associated Cardiometabolic Risk Profile in the Inuit Population of Nunavik. Nutrients. 2024 Mar 2;16(5):725. doi: 10.3390/nu16050725.

  PMID: 38474854 BACKGROUND

• Anand SS, Abonyi S, Arbour L, Balasubramanian K, Brook J, Castleden H, Chrisjohn V, Cornelius I, Davis AD, Desai D, de Souza RJ, Friedrich MG, Harris S, Irvine J, L'Hommecourt J, Littlechild R, Mayotte L, McIntosh S, Morrison J, Oster RT, Picard M; Pictou Landing First Nation; Poirier P, Schulze KM, Toth EL; Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds First Nations Research Group. Explaining the variability in cardiovascular risk factors among First Nations communities in Canada: a population-based study. Lancet Planet Health. 2019 Dec;3(12):e511-e520. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30237-2.

  PMID: 31868600 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Endocrine System Diseases

Central Study Contacts

Coordinator

CONTACT

1-418-656-8711; santeinclusive@criucpq.ulaval.ca

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Clinical physician and associate professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 24, 2026
• First Posted: October 9, 2026
• Study Start: February 11, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 31, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 31, 2030
• Last Updated: October 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-10

Locations

CA (1)