Self-management program and Black women with hypertension: Randomized controlled trial substudy

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Health Disparities
• Chronic Disease Management

Background:

• Hypertension (HTN) prevalence and related mortality are disproportionately high among Black women in the U.S.
• Declining HTN awareness, treatment, and control rates exacerbate health risks.
• Limited research exists on self-care interventions tailored for Black women with HTN.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) with tailored coaching versus CDSMP alone.
• To assess effects on blood pressure (BP), weight, self-care, and medication adherence in Black women with HTN.
• To explore the efficacy of enhanced self-management strategies for this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled pilot trial substudy involving 83 Black women with HTN.
• Participants completed the CDSMP, then were randomized to receive additional tailored coaching or no coaching.
• Outcomes measured over 9 months included BP, weight, self-care scores, and medication adherence.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in self-care maintenance and management were observed in the coaching group.
• Both groups showed a trend toward improved medication adherence, though not statistically significant.
• Nearly 60% of participants in both groups experienced improvements in systolic and/or diastolic BP.
• No significant differences were found between groups for BP or weight outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The CDSMP effectively reduced BP and improved medication adherence among Black women with HTN.
• Tailored coaching showed benefits for self-care but not significantly for BP or weight in this pilot study.
• Further research is needed to optimize coaching strategies for Black women managing hypertension.