Providing Hypertension Education to African Immigrants at a Southern Californian Congregation during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
Objective: To review methods that could contribute to improved knowledge of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension (HTN), among African immigrants at a Californian congregation. The difference in the management and outcomes of HTN between African Americans and Whites is one of the highest in cardiovascular diseases (Lackland, 2014). Lack of education is a major contributor to uncontrolled HTN among African Americans, especially among African immigrants (AIs). This brief report will describe a Doctor of Nursing Practice project to address lack of HTN knowledge among AIs.
Setting: A church in Southern California.
Participants: Twenty adult AIs diagnosed with or self-reported high blood pressure.
Methods: Survey questions will focus on country of birth, HTN knowledge, culture, and barriers and enablers of self-management of HTN. As a large part of African culture, HTN education incorporated as storytelling will be used in the delivery of the education. Pre- and post-intervention surveys will be used to assess and evaluate knowledge of HTN.
Results: Participants will report HTN knowledge and consequences of uncontrolled HTN before and after the education; as well as barriers to self-care, and facilitators that encourage self-care.
Conclusion: Findings may demonstrate the importance of evidence based HTN education among African Americans, especially AIs, in a cultural setting like a church. The findings also may identify the barriers and facilitators and discuss ways to mitigate and utilize them respectively. The result may suggest a need for redesign of HTN education strategies in AIs, including consideration of culture like storytelling.
