Health Topic: Hypertension
Health Risk Behavior or Exposure: High blood pressure is a medical term for
hypertension, a chronic disease characterized by persistently elevated blood pressure.
According to the American Heart Association's 21st edition standards, high blood
pressure is defined as a systolic reading of at least 130 mm Hg or a diastolic reading of at
least 80 mm Hg. Hypertension is a major public health issue since it raises the risk of
cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and renal difficulties.
There is no one factor that indicates who may develop hypertension. It is caused by a
variety of reasons, including:
a. Unhealthy Diet: It is possible that your blood pressure will go up if you
consume a lot of salt, saturated fat, and cholesterol all at once. High blood
pressure is a direct result of excessive salt consumption, which leads the body
to retain water and, therefore, more salt.
b. Physical Inactivity: If a person lacks physical activity, they have a higher
chance of acquiring hypertension (high blood pressure). Regular physical
activity has several health benefits, such as assisting you in achieving and
maintaining a healthy weight, lowering your blood pressure, and improving
the health of your heart and blood vessels.
c. Obesity: The risk of developing hypertension is significantly increased by
being overweight or obese. When a person is overweight, their heart and blood
vessels have to work harder to pump blood to the various parts of their body.
This may lead to serious health complications.
d. Tobacco and Alcohol Use: tobacco use and drinking excessive amounts of
alcohol might raise the chance of getting hypertension. Both smoking
3
cigarettes and drinking an excessive amount of alcohol have a negative impact
on a person's cardiovascular health.
e. Family History: If another member of your family already has high blood
pressure, then there is a greater chance that you may also get the condition.
There is some evidence that hereditary factors might change the way the body
normally controls blood pressure, which can lead to hypertension.
f. Stress: Stress on the mind for an extended period may make hypertension
symptoms worse. It is well established that the hormones that are secreted
during times of stress raise blood pressure and cause blood vessels to constrict.
Managing and preventing hypertension requires focusing on these risk factors and
encouraging healthy behavior. The American Heart Association (2021) recommends
launching a public health communication campaign to raise awareness of hypertension, its
risk factors, and the need of making lifestyle changes and receiving medical treatment to
reduce blood pressure and related health problems.
2. Disease Outcome:
Untreated hypertension is a severe health risk since it increases the risk of certain
cardiovascular diseases. Long-term hypertension increases a person's risk of developing
health issues like:
a. Heart Attacks: Coronary artery disease occurs when blood flow to the heart is
restricted or obstructed. If an artery supplying blood to the heart were to
become fully blocked, this might lead to a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
or angina (chest pain).
b. Strokes: High blood pressure is a known risk factor for stroke. Clots in the
bloodstream or weak spots in the brain's blood vessels that might rupture
owing to high blood pressure are the two primary causes of strokes. Stroke
4
may have devastating long-term repercussions, including paralysis, speech
problems, and cognitive decline.
c. Kidney Problems: Damage to the kidneys' blood arteries caused by untreated
hypertension may impair their ability to filter blood and clear waste products
and excess fluid. Long-term kidney disease, renal failure, and the need for
dialysis or a kidney transplant may develop over time as a result of this.
d. Heart Failure: When blood pressure is elevated, it puts extra strain on the
cardiovascular system. Over time, this might lead to heart failure, which
occurs when the heart stops pumping enough blood to meet the body's needs.
e. Peripheral Artery Disease: If you have high blood pressure, your arteries may
narrow and harden, decreasing blood flow to your legs and arms. Peripheral
artery disease is characterized by a lack of sensation, pain, and poor wound
healing.
f. Aneurysms: Due to the weakened arterial wall, aneurysms are more common
in persons with persistent hypertension. When a blood vessel aneurysm bursts,
it may cause life-threatening internal bleeding.
Maintaining a good blood pressure reading requires a commitment to dietary and exercise
adjustments, frequent physical activity, stress management, and, if required, medication. By
maintaining a healthy blood pressure level, people may dramatically lower their risk of
developing these serious cardiac issues associated with untreated hypertension (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. (2021)). Educating the public on the risks of high blood
pressure and the need of maintaining healthy blood vessels via effective health
communication may go a long way toward mitigating these problems.
3. Target Audience: Adults over the age of 40 in Houston, Texas, United States.
5
4. Health Communication Campaign Goal: Adults in Houston, Texas, USA, aged 40 and
over, are the focus of the campaign to reduce the prevalence of uncontrolled
hypertension. We hope that by implementing the "Heart Health Houston" program, we
will help individuals minimize their risk of cardiovascular disease and help them keep
their blood pressure at a healthy range. The campaign consists of the following
subcomponents:
a. Education: The purpose of the campaign is to raise public awareness of
hypertension, its risk factors, and the need of maintaining normal blood pressure.
Seminars, community events, and online platforms will all play a role in spreading
evidence-based information about the risks of hypertension to cardiovascular
health, the advantages of making lifestyle changes, and the importance of taking
medications as directed.
b. Resources: The campaign's purpose is to make sure that those who need it have
access to accurate information on how to manage hypertension, therefore it will
generate and spread instructional materials including booklets, infographics, and
digital content. These resources will not only train readers on how to take their
own blood pressure measurement, but they will also provide suggestions on how
to reduce stress via changes in diet and physical activity.
c. Support: People who have hypertension would benefit from the program since it
will provide them with the opportunity to speak with others who are in a similar
circumstance. People may connect with others via peer mentoring programs,
online forums, and support groups to share their experiences, get new insights,
and encourage one another.
d. Collaboration: Through the partnership between healthcare providers,
community organizations, and local businesses, people with hypertension can
6
access a support network. Partnerships may provide resources such as discounted
gym memberships, healthy cooking classes, or workplace wellness programs to
encourage and assist individuals in healthy lifestyle choices.
The frequency of hypertension that is not under control is high among persons aged 40 and
older in Houston, Texas, in the United States of America, which raises the risk of
cardiovascular disease. We want to accomplish our mission of reducing this risk by putting
this program into action, engaging the target demographic in educational endeavors, making
available relevant resources, and establishing support networks.
5. Health Communication Campaign Objectives:
a. Cognitive Objective: By the conclusion of the campaign, we would want to see 80% of our
demographic confidently recite the normal range for blood pressure and articulate an
appreciation for the dangers of unchecked hypertension. We aim to educate the public about
blood pressure recommendations and the risks of uncontrolled hypertension using seminars,
online resources, and interactive technology.. We will compare the findings of surveys sent
out before and after the campaign to determine its effect on education. Campaign materials
will include infographics, condensed explanations, and interactive activities to help people
lower their blood pressure.
b. Affective Objective: 70% of the target population will report increased motivation and
confidence to adopt healthier lifestyles and maintain hypertension management strategies
within six months of the campaign's launch. Our goal is to help individuals feel good about
themselves by encouraging words, success stories, and endorsements so that they will take
care of their health. The show will include interviews with people with effectively managed
blood pressure. The benefits and improvements in quality of life shown in these accounts are
courtesy of the CDC (2021). As a bonus, we'll provide actionable strategies for altering your
7
habit. Motivation and self-efficacy will be measured using surveys and other feedback
mechanisms to ensure the program has the desired effect on the target audience.
c. Psychomotor Objective: Within a year of the campaign's launch, half of the target audience
will have reduced their risk of hypertension by engaging in vigorous physical activity five
days a week for at least 30 minutes. The initiative's goal is to help individuals become more
physically active by providing them with fitness resources such as training schedules, videos,
and motivation. We'll coordinate with local gyms, parks, and health centers to provide
discounted memberships and organize training sessions for large groups. Participants will be
provided with monitoring tools, such as progress charts, to keep tabs on their levels of
activity and recognize their efforts. Our goal is to teach the intended audience how to
improve their physical abilities and establish a regular exercise routine in order to lower their
blood pressure via a series of interactive exercises.
d. Environmental Objective: The goal of the effort is to expand access to treatment for
people with hypertension by developing hypertension management programs in community
clinics and medical institutions in partnership with local healthcare professionals. The
campaign's goals include encouraging people to check their blood pressure regularly, take
their medications as prescribed, and alter their lifestyles. When we seek to incorporate
hypertension management programs into the healthcare systems that are already in place, we
will place an emphasis on the importance of prompt identification, appropriate treatment, and
ongoing monitoring. We aim to improve healthcare delivery and foster a culture of
collaboration in order to ensure that people who struggle with hypertension have access to the
information and support they need to take charge of their own health.
8
References:
American Heart Association. (2021). About High Blood Pressure. Retrieved from
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/about-high-blood-
pressure
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). High Blood Pressure. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/index.htm
World Health Organization. (2021). Hypertension. Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/health-topics/hypertension