Rural populations experience higher hypertension prevalence and lower blood pressure control due to healthcare shortages, socioeconomic factors, and limited access to care.
This AHA scientific statement highlights the disparities in hypertension management among rural populations and recommends strategies such as telehealth and remote monitoring to improve care.
Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Individuals living in rural areas have a higher prevalence of hypertension and a lower prevalence of blood pressure control. Factors contributing to the increased hypertension prevalence in rural populations include shortages of health care professionals, limited access to transportation and longer travel distances to care, lower health literacy, socioeconomic factors, and reduced access to pharmacies. Approaches to addressing barriers to effective hypertension management include expanding rural telehealth services, deploying mobile units, leveraging pharmacists, implementing remote blood pressure monitoring, and engaging community health workers. Health services need to be culturally tailored and address the unique challenges faced by rural communities. Further research is needed to identify effective methods for addressing health disparities experienced by rural populations related to hypertension management.
“The American Heart Association is cognizant to the fact that America's rural regions are very unique and that there's not a one-size-fits-all approach to eliminating rural health disparities. While there are some commonalities among rural areas, we must tailor our strategies to meet the needs of all communities from the Arkansas Delta to the prairies of Wyoming, the plains of Texas, the mountains of Appalachia and beyond.”
Ford et al. (Thu,) conducted a review in Hypertension. Rural populations experience higher hypertension prevalence and lower blood pressure control due to healthcare shortages, socioeconomic factors, and limited access to care.