Designing Faith-Based Blood Pressure Interventions to Reach Young Black Men

This community-based participatory research pilot study explored multilevel perceptions and strategies for developing future faith-based organization blood pressure interventions for young black men.

Community partners recruited the sample through two, southeastern U.S. urban churches as potential intervention hubs; academic partners conducted phone interviews with church leader key informants, and three focus groups with black men aged 18-50 years. Qualitative content analysis helped generate themes from: key informant questions assessing organizational assets and capacities, and factors influencing participation; and focus group questions assessing lifestyle and self-management behaviors. Questions assessing themes on blood pressure intervention strategies were asked. Data were collected in 2016 and analyzed in 2016-2017.

The sample included 21 key informants and 19 young black men. Key informants' leadership experience averaged 16.6 (SD=12.1) years and 28.6% were male. Focus group participants were primarily single (55.6%), college educated (61.1%), and employed (77.8%). Mean blood pressure was 131.1 (SD=15.3)/79.5 (SD=11.2) mmHg, 33.3% self-reported having hypertension, 88.9% report a family history of hypertension, and 88.9% see a provider annually. For key informants, young black men lack understanding of hypertension despite available resources, and pastors are important role models and advocates. For focus group participants, hidden sodium and stressful, busy schedules impact lifestyle behaviors; and church support for busy schedules are important. Common strategies included incentive-laden, activity-integrated programs, and male social context (testimonials, peer mentoring, engagement outside of the church).

Findings and lessons learned will help design future community-based participatory research, faith-based organization-led blood pressure interventions relevant to young black men.

This article is part of a supplement entitled African American Men's Health: Research, Practice, and Policy Implications, which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.