Linkage, Empowerment, and Access to Prevent Hypertension

Study Summary

Brief Summary: Black adults have a higher incidence of hypertension (HTN) and a greater risk of HTN-related cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with White adults. Even mild elevations in blood (BP) above 115/75 mm Hg are associated with increased CVD risk. Accordingly, emphasis is being placed on early interventions for high BP, particularly in those who are low cardiovascular risk(systolic BP 110-139 and diastolic BP \< 90 mm Hg), for participants lifestyle modification is recommended. Although lifestyle modifications are effective to lower BP, implementation is suboptimal in Black communities, especially those participants residing in low-income urban settings. Pervasive negative social determinants of health (SDoH), such as poor access to healthcare, food insecurity, limited availability of healthy foods, lack of safe places to engage in physical activity, and low health literacy are major drivers of inequities in HTN and a critical barrier to implementation of recommended lifestyle modifications in Black communities. To achieve health equity, effective strategies must address negative SDoH that are root causes of racial disparities in health outcomes as clearly demonstrated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Predominantly Black cities like Detroit, Michigan, where the mortality rate from heart disease is nearly twice the national average, have been devastated by COVID-19. To address this, the investigators developed an innovative mobile health unit (MHU) program that uses geospatial health and social vulnerability data to direct deployment of testing and vaccination services to communities with highest needs. Since April 2020, the investigators conducted 500 events with 220 community partners where 40,000 people have been tested or vaccinated for COVID in MHUs. Using a hybrid type I effectiveness-implementation design in the proposed Linkage, Empowerment, and Access to Prevent Hypertension (LEAP-HTN) study, the investigators will implement a nov

Primary Outcome

Resting seated systolic BP will be measured in the dominant upper arm by validated automated BP monitors using a standardized protocol in accordance with the methods in the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Hypertension guidelines. BP outcomes will be checked during months 6 and 12 of the trial

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL PAL2

Study Locations (1)