Impacts of community health education on the blood pressure levels and self-management abilities of elderly patients with hypertension

Objective The goal of this research was to explore the impacts of community health education on the blood pressure levels and self-management abilities of elderly patients suffering from hypertension. Methods This study was a community-based, randomized controlled trial. Between January 2024 and January 2025, 200 hypertensive patients were randomly chosen from the Tianshui Wulin Street Community Health Service Center, to participate in the study. These patients were randomly assigned to either a control group (implemented routine nursing) or an intervention group (implemented community health education in addition to routine nursing). We compared the two groups in terms of blood pressure, self-care ability, self-management behavior, levels of depression and anxiety, medication adherence, sleep quality, quality of life, and satisfaction rates. Results Six months post-intervention, both groups exhibited a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, PSQI scores and PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores, as well as an increase in HBP SCP-behavior and HBP SCP-self-efficacy scores, HPSMBRS scores, TASHP scores, SF-36 scores ( p < 0.05). Notably, compared with the control group, the intervention group demonstrated significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, higher HBP SCP-behavior and HBP SCP-self-efficacy scores, higher HPSMBRS scores, lower PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores, higher TASHP scores, lower PSQI scores, higher SF-36 scores and a higher satisfaction rate 6 months post-intervention ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Community health education effectively lowers blood pressure levels, enhances self-care and self-management abilities, improves medication adherence, alleviates depression and anxiety, enhances sleep quality, boosts the quality of life, and increases satisfaction rates among elderly patients with hypertension.