Key result
Educational interventions yielded similar blood pressure and weight changes across education levels, but college graduates increased fruit and vegetable intake more (+0.4 vs -0.1 servings, p=0.0142).
Why the study?
Does educational attainment modify the effect of community-based educational interventions on blood pressure control and health behaviors in hypertensive individuals?
RCT (n=403)
Does educational attainment modify the effect of community-based educational interventions on blood pressure control and health behaviors in hypertensive individuals?
Community-based educational interventions for hypertension improve self-management similarly across education levels, though higher educated individuals may show greater dietary improvements.
Supports equitable community hypertension education across education levels; confirms similar BP effects while extending evidence on dietary response differences.
OBJECTIVES: To assess whether the effects of community-based educational interventions to improve blood pressure, weight and health behaviours benefit participants with lower educational levels more than those with higher educational levels. DESIGN: Secondary data analysis. SETTING: Two 12-month community-based educational interventions, one led by trained peers and one delivered by health professionals. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 403 hypertensive individuals, grouped by education (high school or less; 1-3 years college; 4 + years college). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure, weight, physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake. RESULTS: We found that changes in blood pressure, weight and physical activity were similar across education levels; college graduates consumed more daily servings of fruits and vegetables at baseline (3.7 versus 3.6 for those with 12-15 years and 3.1 for those with < 12 years, p = 0.0112), and increased intake more after the intervention (+0.4 versus -0.1 and -0.1, p = 0.0142). The two methods of delivery - peer-led versus professional - had similar effects on all measures. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that educational interventions, whether delivered by peers or professionals, may improve chronic disease self-management among participants but do not confer greater benefits on participants with lower educational levels.
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Zhang et al. (2016) conducted an RCT in Hypertension (n=403). Community-based educational interventions (peer-led or professional-led) vs. Different education levels was evaluated on Blood pressure, weight, physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake. Educational interventions yielded similar blood pressure and weight changes across education levels, but college graduates increased fruit and vegetable intake more (+0.4 vs -0.1 servings, p=0.0142).
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