Opportunities for the Advanced Practice Nurse to Enhance Hypertension Knowledge and Self-management Among African American Women.
Lenette M Jones, Marie-Anne S Rosemberg, Kathy D Wright
PMID 28991014WHAT IT FOUND
African American women averaged 73% correct hypertension knowledge, but many believed stress causes high blood pressure, hypertension is curable, and vigorous daily exercise is needed.
Knowledge did not track blood pressure.
Key findings
01Women averaged 8.76 on the hypertension knowledge score, reported as 73% correct.
02A majority of women incorrectly answered items about stress causing high blood pressure, whether high blood pressure has symptoms, whether high blood pressure has a cure, and whether vigorous daily exercise is needed.
03Hypertension knowledge was not associated with systolic blood pressure or with blood pressure control status.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample of women attending one regional church conference, so the findings may not apply to African American women in other settings. The women were culturally similar and highly educated, with 85.5% having at least some college education, limiting generalizability. Blood pressure was measured at one time point, so it may not represent usual blood pressure. The hypertension knowledge survey had limited reported validity and reliability information. The study did not test whether nurse education or counselling changed blood pressure or self-management.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that giving hypertension education alone will lower blood pressure in African American women. This was a cross-sectional survey, not a treatment trial, and knowledge scores did not track blood pressure readings.