Lay summary
The focus of this research is to address Samoan people's health literacy in relation to CVD and risks, CVRA and the importance of sustaining lifestyle changes to improve cardiovascular health. The key objectives are to 1) examine Samoan men and women's understanding of cardiovascular health issues; 2) explore practice nurses' perceptions of Samoan people's understanding of cardiovascular health issues; and 3) develop strategies to promote health literacy to improve Samoan people's health outcomes. This study will employ a qualitative design, incorporating a Pacific model 'Talanoa' to conduct interviews for 30-40 Samoan men and women and five to ten Practice Nurses in Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Wellington. It will raise health professionals' awareness of health literacy issues and lead to new interventions to ensure that Samoan people understand health information to prevent CVD and therefore improve their health outcomes. It is anticipated that I will achieve a PhD during this study.