Outcomes of the V-Healthy Awareness Campaign That Empowers High-School Students to Understand and Diagnose Vascular Disease Risk Factors

Abstract

Just imagine the impact of empowering young high-school students to become the Sherlock Holmes of vascular health and disease. V-Healthy is a grassroots vascular education and awareness campaign that educates high-school students of the importance of vascular disease risks they face today and its impact decades later. Since 2016, >300 volunteer educators including vascular surgeons, primary care physicians, allied health care providers, and teachers have participated in the V-Healthy campaign that educated >12,000 students in 40 high schools on the implications of vascular disease risks. Students participated in didactics and hands-on workshops focused on the impact of vascular disease risk factors on peripheral artery disease, venous disease, aortic aneurysms and dissections, and stroke. In 3 years, 1210 students have participated in a Diagnosing Hypertension (HTN) study, which included monitoring daily blood pressures in their parents for a week, and participated in creating a public service announcement focused on vascular health education and awareness in their communities. An additional 2950 students participated in a survey questionnaire on the impact of the V-Healthy campaign. Of the previously undiagnosed 1210 parents who participated in the Diagnosing HTN study, >50% were hypertensive; 10% had pre-HTN (120-129/<80 mm Hg), 31% had stage 1 HTN (130-139/80-89 mm Hg), and an additional 20% had stage 2 HTN (≥140/≥90 mm Hg). Of the 2950 students who participated in the V-Healthy survey, 99% reported that they had a better understanding of vascular health; 90% recognized HTN, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and family history as risk factors; 84% would discuss vascular health with their families; and 76% were interested in learning more about their vascular health. V-Healthy is a grassroots campaign that allows vascular surgeons to lead community vascular health education and awareness and to have an impact on change. HTN is prevalent and an under-recognized vascular disease risk factor that can be used as a focal point for public vascular health education and awareness. The V-Healthy project identifies a process that can be used to develop outreach programs that empower high-school students to understand the implications of vascular disease risks and promote vascular health in our communities.