Community Health Worker: High Risk Stabilization Study

Introduction: Hypertension is a common health concern among Americans of all age groups. Unregulated hypertension can lead to complications such as atherosclerosis that contributes to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The identification of individuals with hypertensive blood pressures allows for the targeted distribution of health management advice and resources. Methods: Blood Pressure measurements are obtained by Community Health Workers at public events through free health screenings Results: Assessing the efficacy of CHW’s efforts to direct high-risk individuals to proper resources for control of their blood pressure relies on the presence of follow up BP measurements that can be compared over time. This level of consistency proved difficult to obtain since data points were only gathered at community events where attendees are not always consistently the same people. Discussion: Free health screenings by CHWs provide the foundation for change by identifying individuals with blood pressures that put them at a high risk of dangerous health complications. Comparing BP measurements at different time intervals, such as 30 and 60 days, can help assess the degree of improvement in blood pressures.