Beliefs About Hypertension

<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">I have reviewed a research article regarding beliefs that young African American adults - aged 17 - 20- hold about high blood pressure. The study was and is important because there is a disproportionate number of hypertension cases and adverse outcomes, stroke and heart attack for example, in this population. We explored these disparities in a <a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2010/03/vital-stats-101-section-2.html">past post </a>related to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/NCHS/data/nvsr/nvsr57/nvsr57_14.pdf">Vital Statistics </a>report from the CDC. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">I read the research because I have a meeting with the lead author/investigator Margaret Savoca, PhD, tomorrow. [Isn't that what I was hoping for - to read some one's research and then meet them. So cool.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">Anyway, she and her team looked at the beliefs of four groups of persons. The young adults were divided by sex and risk status. So high risk black males and low risk black males and same for females. The categorization criteria is detailed in the actual study.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">The researchers used structured interviews and gathered a lot of information from this group. The end result, which was learned from the population in question, is what they knew and didn't know and how they would like to learn additional information. I was very excited because it sounds very similar to what I want to do with the obesity issue. The people in this study did say that they thought that the education on hypertension and especially prevention should happen in the schools! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">This study was qualitative and I am leaning towards a quantitative or mixed method study, but that is in the future.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">BTW, hypertension is related to weight status, sometimes salt intake, genetics and smoking. Exercise and a nutritional diet are helpful. Stress may play a role but it is not the most impactful variable.</span>

Beliefs About Hypertension

I have reviewed a research article regarding beliefs that young African American adults - aged 17 - 20- hold about high blood pressure. The ...

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