Blood Pressure Lowering Strategies to Eliminate Hypertension Disparities
The burden of hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and end-stage kidney disease is disproportionately high in Black populations, especially in the South. The Blood Pressure Lowering Strategies to Eliminate Hypertension Disparities (BLESSED) cluster randomized trial aims to test the effectiveness, implementation, and sustainability of a community health worker (CHW)-led multifaceted intervention compared to enhanced usual care for hypertension control in Black communities. In the BLESSED trial, the investigators plan to recruit 1,176 adults with hypertension (approximately 28 per church) from 42 predominantly Black churches in the Greater New Orleans area. The multifaceted intervention will last for 18 months, followed by a post-intervention follow-up visit at 24 months. The BLESSED trial aims to generate evidence regarding the effectiveness, implementation, and sustainability of this CHW-led church-based multifaceted intervention in eliminating hypertension disparities in the United States (US) general population.
• Men or women aged ≥18 years
• Community members associated with the participating churches (church members and their families and friends)
• Systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg
• Willing and able to participate in the intervention.
• Willing and able to sign written informed consent.