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Published on: January 29, 2013
Cardiovascular Health Practices Among Black Patients in an Urban Underserved Clinic
Kendall M Campbell1, José E Rodríguez1
1Center for Underrepresented Minorities in Academic Medicine and Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Rural Health, Florida State University College of Medicine.
Insights
Providing automatic blood pressure monitors for home use significantly increased blood pressure monitoring frequency in Black patients. This intervention enhances cardiovascular health management and addresses health disparities.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Health Disparities
- Patient-Centered Care
Background:
- Understanding cardiovascular health practices in Black patients is crucial for reducing health disparities.
- Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) was studied in an underserved population to assess feasibility.
- Providing automatic blood pressure monitors aimed to increase patient assessments and improve hypertension management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the feasibility of providing automatic blood pressure monitors to hypertensive Black patients.
- To assess the impact of HBPM on patient health practices and hypertension management.
Main Methods:
- Forty patients were randomized into an experimental group (received monitor during study) or a control group (received monitor at end).
- Participants received education and bi-weekly phone calls for blood pressure readings.
- A six-month study duration was followed by exit interviews and surveys.
Main Results:
- 13 participants completed the study; 87% of the experimental group increased monitoring frequency vs. 60% of the control group.
- The experimental group showed a 50 percentage point increase in blood pressure monitoring metrics.
- Patients with home monitors were over three times more likely to check blood pressure outside clinical settings.
Conclusions:
- Accessible home automatic blood pressure monitoring can improve the frequency of blood pressure assessments in Black patients.
- This intervention shows promise for enhancing self-management of hypertension.
- HBPM is a viable strategy to support cardiovascular health in underserved communities.
Background:
An understanding of cardiovascular health practices among black patients can provide more comprehensive patient-centered care and reduce health disparities. We studied home blood pressure monitoring in our underserved patient population to determine feasibility of providing automatic blood pressure monitors to our hypertensive patients. We believed that if we provided blood pressure monitors for home use, our patients would increase home blood pressure assessments, frequency of blood pressure assessments, and provide more data on managing their hypertension.
Methods:
Forty patients were selected based on their individually scheduled clinic appointments and were randomized to the experimental arm or the control arm. Patients in the experimental arm of the study received an automatic blood pressure monitor for the duration of the study, while the control group received their automatic blood pressure monitor at the end of the study period. All participants received evidence- based patient education upon enrollment in addition to phone calls to collect blood pressure readings every two weeks. After six months, patients completed an exit interview and survey to determine the effects of the study on enrollee health practices.
Results:
Of the 40 people enrolled, 13 participants completed the study. Of those who completed, 87% of the experimental group checked their blood pressure more often outside of the healthcare setting compared to 60% of the control group. There was no increase in the control group's pre-survey blood pressure monitoring metrics but a 50 percentage point increase in the experimental group's blood pressure monitoring metrics. Telephone data demonstrated that participants who received an automatic blood pressure monitor for home use were more than three times more likely to check their blood pressure outside of the healthcare setting than those who did not have a home monitor.
Conclusions:
Home accessible automatic blood pressure monitoring can increase frequency of blood pressure assessment among black patients.
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