Patient and Social Environment Factors Associated With Self Blood Pressure Monitoring by Male Veterans With Hypertension

Self blood pressure monitoring (SBPM) can facilitate hypertension management, but determinants of SBPM are understudied. The authors examined the relationship of patient and social environment characteristics to monitor possession and frequency of SBPM in 578 male hypertensive veterans. Measures included possession of a monitor; SBPM frequency; concurrent blood pressure control; and patient demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors. In logistic regression analyses, older age, diabetes, unemployment, and better mental health status were related to greater likelihood of monitor possession. Ordinal logistic regression showed that among patients with a monitor, having diabetes, being unemployed, and having a shorter duration of hypertension were independently related to greater frequency of SBPM. Monitor possession, but not frequency of SBPM, was related to a decreased likelihood of blood pressure control in adjusted analyses. Our results suggest that patient characteristics may influence SBPM and may represent points of leverage for intervening to increase self-monitoring.