A randomized community-based intervention trial comparing faith community nurse referrals to telephone-assisted physician appointments for health fair participants with elevated blood pressure

OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of faith community nurse referrals versus telephone-assisted physician appointments on blood pressure control among persons with elevated blood pressure at health fairs. METHODS: Randomized community-based intervention trial conducted from October 2006 to October 2007 of 100 adults who had an average blood pressure reading equal to or above a systolic of 140 mm Hg or a diastolic of 90 mm Hg obtained at a faith community nurse-led church health event. Participants were randomized to either referral to a faith community nurse or to a telephone-assisted physician appointment. The average enrollment systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 149∈±∈14 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 87∈±∈11 mm Hg, 57% were uninsured and 25% were undiagnosed at the time of enrollment. RESULTS: The follow-up rate was 85% at 4 months. Patients in the faith community nurse referral arm had a 7∈±∈15 mm Hg drop in SBP versus a 14∈±∈15 mm Hg drop in the telephone-assisted physician appointment arm (p∈=∈0.04). Twenty-seven percent of the patients in the faith community nurse referral arm had medication intensification compared to 32% in the telephone-assisted physician appointment arm (p∈=∈0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Church health fairs conducted in low-income, multiethnic communities can identify many people with elevated blood pressure. Facilitating physician appointments for people with elevated blood pressure identified at health fairs confers a greater decrease in SBP than referral to a faith community nurse at four months. © 2010 The Author(s)