Screening Wilmington Communities through the Blood Pressure Ambassador Program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology
• Community Health Interventions

Background:

• Hypertension (HTN) is a prevalent chronic disease in the U.S., disproportionately affecting African Americans with higher morbidity and mortality rates.
• There is a critical need to enhance awareness of hypertension dangers within at-risk communities.
• Community-based screening programs can address gaps in hypertension detection and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact and findings of the Blood Pressure Ambassador Program, a community-based hypertension screening initiative.
• To assess the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension among African Americans in Wilmington, Delaware.
• To highlight the effectiveness of a peer-to-peer model in community health outreach.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the Blood Pressure Ambassador Program utilizing trained community volunteers since 2011.
• Conducting blood pressure screenings across medically underserved areas of Wilmington using a peer-to-peer approach.
• Analysis of screening data to determine hypertension prevalence and awareness levels.

Main Results:

• Over 12,000 blood pressure screenings have been performed, reaching residents in all 12 medically underserved areas of Wilmington.
• Approximately 50% of African Americans screened were identified as hypertensive.
• One-third of African Americans screened were unaware of their high blood pressure diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• The Blood Pressure Ambassador Program effectively identifies individuals with hypertension in underserved communities.
• A significant proportion of African Americans in Wilmington remain undiagnosed or unaware of their hypertension.
• Community-based, peer-to-peer screening programs are vital for improving hypertension control in at-risk populations.