Development and pilot test of a culturally sensitive CD-ROM for hypertensive, older Chinese immigrants

Hypertension control remains an issue for older Chinese immigrants because of the unique cultural health practices they use to manage their hypertension. Limited health education information on how to manage hypertension is available in Chinese. Because San Francisco has a large population of older Chinese immigrants, development of culturally sensitive educational material is important to help this population to achieve better blood pressure control. The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test an innovative, culturally based CD-ROM with a focus on hypertension education and management, directed to the older Chinese immigrant population. The results of this pilot study found that the content of CD-ROM was culturally acceptable for the target population. Given a lack of educational material in Chinese in the United States, this CD-ROM has a potential to be used for a large population of Chinese elders in the United States.