Reducing Disparities in the Treatment of Hypertension Using the OWL mHealth Tool

Study Summary

This is a one-year study. The study's primary outcome is successful improvement of the Our Whole Lives for Hypertension (OWL-H) online patient education platform, based upon participant use and focus group feedback, to deliver information on self-management of hypertension and other cardiac risk factors, and to encourage self-monitoring of blood pressure. Specific Aim 1 - To pilot test the OWL-H platform for 8 weeks with 26 patients with hypertension (2 groups of 13) to refine its utility for home self-monitoring (number of times patients record home blood pressure and input this data onto OWL-H and engagement of self-management (i.e. # of logins, # of mind body sessions completed, # of times modules accessed each day)). Hypothesis 1: Eighty percent of patients will log in and record their blood pressures. Specific Aim 2 - At the end of each group, hold a focus group to obtain information about: 1) the barriers and facilitators of using the OWL-H platform and using OWL-H to self-monitor blood pressure at home, 2) satisfaction with OWL-H, 3) how OWL-H helped with reduction of number of cardiac risk factors (e.g., smoking, eating habits, perceived stress, and amount of exercise and health-related quality of life).

Primary Outcome

The Blood Pressure Knowledge Questionnaire (BPKQ) was used to assess the participants' level of knowledge regarding common characteristics and risk factors of hypertension. It consists of 8 items covering topics like common symptoms, White Coat Syndrome, and the amount of salt consumed by the average American, with a mix of multiple choice (6 items) and true/false questions (2 items). The correct items are totaled, with a range of 1-8, and higher scores indicating more hypertension knowledge. Th

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL OWL-Hypertension 8 Wk Trial

Study Locations (1)