Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (Cf-PWV) to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness
Published on: May 3, 2018
Blood pressure in different ethnic groups (BP-Eth): a mixed methods study
Sally Wood1, Una Martin, Paramjit Gill
1Primary Care Clinical Sciences, NIHR School for Primary Care Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Insights
Minority ethnic groups experience worse cardiovascular outcomes, partly due to hypertension. This study investigates blood pressure monitoring patterns, diagnostic thresholds, and patient preferences across different ethnicities to improve hypertension management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Public Health
- Medical Research
Background:
- South Asian, African-Caribbean, and Irish populations face poorer cardiovascular outcomes compared to white British individuals.
- Hypertension significantly contributes to these disparities and is a modifiable risk factor.
- Current blood pressure (BP) monitoring guidelines are primarily based on research involving white populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine BP monitoring frequency and methods across white and minority ethnic groups.
- To assess the comparability of hypertension diagnosis and treatment targets using office, ambulatory, and home BP monitoring across ethnic groups.
- To understand patient preferences for BP measurement modalities in diverse ethnic populations.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach combining a postal survey of 8000 individuals and a validation study comparing BP measurements in 800 participants (200 per ethnic group).
- Focus groups organized by ethnicity and gender will collect qualitative data on patient experiences and preferences.
- Analysis will integrate quantitative and qualitative data to address research questions.
Main Results:
- This section is to be filled once the study is completed and results are available.
Conclusions:
- This section is to be filled once the study is completed and conclusions are drawn.
Introduction:
People of South Asian, African-Caribbean and Irish ethnicity are known to have worse cardiovascular outcomes than those from the white British group. While the reasons underpinning this are complex, the effect of hypertension is both significant and modifiable. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in and uptake of 'out-of-office' methods for blood pressure (BP) monitoring. However, guidance in this area has been largely based on research among the white population. This study aims to answer the following questions: (1) How often and in what ways does blood pressure (BP) monitoring occur and how does this differ between white and the above minority ethnic populations. (2) Are the thresholds for diagnosis of hypertension, and treatment targets in hypertension comparable for white British and minority ethnic populations using different measurement modalities: office blood pressure, ambulatory BP monitoring and home monitoring? (3) What preferences for BP measurement do people from white and minority ethnic populations have?
Methods And Analysis:
A mixed methods approach will be used including the following: (1) A postal survey sent to 8000 hypertensive and not-known-to-be-hypertensive people from all four ethnic groups will determine current patterns of BP monitoring. (2) A validation study will compare BP measurement by ambulatory monitoring with office standard measurement, office research measurement and home monitoring in 200 people from each of the ethnic groups concerned. (3) Focus groups organised by ethnicity and gender will gather qualitative data regarding patient preferences for and experiences of BP measurement in each of the given modalities. The data collected from these phases will be analysed appropriately in order to answer the above research questions.
Ethics And Dissemination:
Ethical approval has been gained from the Black Country Research Ethics Committee: Ref 09/H1202/114. The results of this work will be disseminated via journal publication and conference presentation.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Special considerations while measuring blood pressure
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
01:28Factors affecting Blood pressure
Physiological Factors:
01:21Sites for measuring blood pressure
The Brachial Artery: Primary Site for Blood Pressure Measurement
01:23Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)
01:10Pre-Procedural Guidelines for Assessing Blood Pressure
01:30Blood Pressure
The average BP in an adult is typically around 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). In this measurement, the numerator (120) indicates the systolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart's ventricles as blood is expelled. The denominator (80) represents the diastolic...