Key result
Community health fair BP screening achieves ~93% primary care follow-up for hypertensive participants.
Why the study?
The effectiveness of blood pressure screenings at community-based nursing health fairs in motivating individuals with high blood pressure readings to seek primary care provider follow-up required evaluation.
Does blood pressure screening and referral through community nursing health fairs motivate primary care follow-up in individuals identified with high blood pressure readings?
Observational (n=958)
No
Does blood pressure screening and referral through community nursing health fairs motivate primary care follow-up in individuals identified with high blood pressure readings?
Nurse-operated community health fair blood pressure screenings effectively motivated 93% of analyzed participants with elevated readings to schedule or complete primary care follow-up, leading to medication initiation or adjustment in 30% of those who visited their provider.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May support nurse-led community BP screening for follow-up; leaves open effects on long-term control or events.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of blood pressure [BP] screenings through community-based health fairs. Effectiveness was measured by those with high BP readings who either made an appointment with or actually followed up with their primary care provider [PCP] in person following post-screening referral. DATA SOURCES: Anonymized data were provided for 958 individuals who obtained BP screening through a three-day health fair provided by the Ceres Police Department Nurse Program. CONCLUSIONS: Of 958 screened, 170 (17.8%) were identified with high BP readings and provided with PCP referral. Data were analyzed on 124 individuals with high BP recordings. Of the 124 PCP referrals, 116 (93%) either made an appointment with or followed up in person with their PCP following BP screening. Of the 98 who visited with their PCP, 29 (30%) were either placed on BP medication, had their current BP medication dose increased, or were changed to another BP medication by their PCP. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Hypertension remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Nurse-operated health fairs, crafted to identify those with high BP readings, are promising as a simple and effective means in motivating individuals to seek follow-up care.
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Lucky et al. (2011) conducted an observational in High blood pressure / Hypertension (n=958). Blood pressure screening and primary care provider referral through community nursing health fairs was evaluated on Making an appointment with or actually following up in person with a primary care provider following post-screening referral. Community health fair BP screening and referral resulted in 93% (116/124) of individuals with high BP readings scheduling or completing a primary care follow-up.
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