The effect of a faith community nurse network and public health collaboration on hypertension prevention and control.

Background: As part of the Association of State and Territorial Health Official's Million Hearts State Learning Collaborative in 2014 and 2015, Washington County, Maryland formed a collaboration between the local health department, health system and faith community nurse network to address the undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension in the county.

Objectives: Data were analyzed to determine the effect of a faith community nursing intervention of teaching blood pressure self-monitoring and coaching blood pressure and lifestyle changes in the at-risk and hypertensive population.

Methods: Thirty-nine faith community nurses offered a 3-month blood pressure self-monitoring and coaching intervention in 2014 and 2015 to 119 participants. A secondary data analysis using a repeated measure ANOVA to assess the differences in pre- and post-intervention systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings and a paired t-test to compare pre- and post-lifestyle scores was completed.

Results: A total of 109 participants completed the program and were included in the analysis and were showing decreased blood pressure readings and improved lifestyle satisfaction scores in six out of seven areas across the program period.

Conclusion: Coaching by faith community nurses creates an environment of sustained support that can promote improved lifestyles and blood pressure changes over time.