Abstract 9844: Virtual Outreach Facilitates Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Among Black Men at a Federally Qualified Health Center

Abstract

Introduction: Rates of uncontrolled hypertension are higher in Black men than in the general population. Prior studies have shown that home self-monitoring of blood pressure (SMBP), in addition to clinical support and education, helps patients lower their blood pressure (BP). This study evaluated a SMBP program for Black men with hypertension at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Hypothesis: We hypothesized that virtual outreach would increase SMBP adoption and lower BP among Black Men at a FQHC. Methods: Black men >18 years old with severe hypertension (>160 mmHg systolic or > 100 mmHg diastolic) were contacted by student volunteers and offered a free BP cuff with program enrollment. Students attempted > 4 calls with each participant over the course of 2 plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles. Students provided BP education and asked participants to report SMBP readings. Univariate analyses were performed to explore the effect of our SMBP program on clinic BPs. Results: Of 258 eligible, 137 (53.1%) were successfully contacted and 82 (31.8%) received a BP cuff. By the end of PDSA cycle 2, 52 men (20.2%) had reported a BP reading to their student caller. For those who had an updated BP documented in the medical record after cycle 1, subsequent office systolic BP changed by an average of -24.9 (95% CI: -30.8, -19.0) mmHg for the 37 men who used their BP cuff (p<0.001) and by -21.4 (95% CI: -25.1, -16.8) mmHg for the 108 men who did not (p<0.001). The reduction in BP was larger for the group that used BP cuffs (difference -3.5 [95% CI: -12.1, 5.1] mmHg, p=0.35), but this change was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Creating partnerships via virtual communication between university students and community members led to adoption of SMBP among Black men. BP reduction trended greater in the group that began self-monitoring, but difficulty in follow-up and a small sample size limited statistical power.