THE EFFECT OF LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON INCREASING KNOWLEDGE OF HYPERTENSION MANAGEMENT AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN ADULTS

Abstract Hypertension is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects the African American population more than other races (CDC, 2019). There is a direct link between hypertension and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in the United States (CDC, 2019). Though tremendous efforts have been made in the treatment and management of hypertension, it continues to be a challenge worldwide. African Americans that receive only pharmacological therapy have not shown significant control over hypertension (Kimani, 2019). Therefore, to improve the health outcomes in the African American community, a systematic comprehensive approach that includes lifestyle modification and medication adherence is crucial. The purpose of this project is to determine the effectiveness of lifestyle modification educational intervention on increasing knowledge of hypertension among the African American population using the American Heart Association recommendation. The project was used to answer the clinical PICOT question “what is the effect of lifestyle modification (healthy diet and active physical activity) educational intervention on increasing knowledge of hypertension among the African American population within two months?” The need for this project is indicated in the internal evidence, external evidence, and evidence-based practice research. The setting for the project is at a primary care clinic, in Georgia. Forty-three people participated in the study. Hypertension knowledge was assessed using the hypertension knowledge-level scale (HK-LS; Erkoc et al., 2012). The result was evaluated using a pretest and posttest. The results indicated that there is a significant relationship between pre-intervention HKLS and both self-efficacy and education which supports the hypotheses. As participants become more educated, their knowledge increases, including their knowledge about blood pressure. Furthermore, in the study, it was discovered that a higher level of education is related to a higher level of self-efficacy. Keywords: hypertension, African American, high blood pressure, lifestyle modification, healthy diet