Helpers help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and hypertension to understand their condition and the need to adhere to anti-hypertensive medication.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) do not adequately manage hypertension (HTN) medication. Known risk factors for insufficient prescription filling include age, residential placement, and lack of caregiver support. This is a first report of a randomized intervention trial designed to analyze the relationship of a brief educational intervention with increased knowledge about HTN and improvement in prescription filling for anti-hypertensive medication.

Objective/hypothesis: The objective was to test whether an educational flyer and regular messages about HTN and the importance of refilling medication would improve scores on knowledge surveys. Participants were Medicaid members with HTN and IDD (Member) or caregivers (Helpers) who chose to participate on behalf of a Member.

Methods: Recruitment letters explained that either the Member or their Helper could participate (not both). Participants were randomly assigned to the Case or Comparison group, and both were comprised of Members and Helpers. Only Case participants received a flyer and monthly HTN education messages for one year, but all participants completed knowledge surveys at baseline, six, and 12 months. Linear regression and log-binomial models were used to compare responses between groups.

Results: Case Helpers had statistically significant improvements on HTN knowledge from baseline through the first year, compared to Comparison Members and Comparison Helpers. Regardless of group assignment, Helpers scored better on surveys than did Members.

Conclusions: This study suggests that it is beneficial to explicitly include Helpers in health care instruction and in management of chronic disease for adults with IDD.