Effectiveness of a Barbershop-Based Program to Improve High Blood Pressure Control and Awareness in Black Men

Completed

Phase N/A Results

Trial Description

Black men in the United States have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure than men of any other ethnic or racial group. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a high blood pressure detection and medical referral program conducted by barbers in predominantly Black barbershops at increasing awareness and lowering blood pressure levels among their Black male customers.

Detailed Description

High blood pressure affects approximately 35% of Black men in the United States. This may be due to the fact that Black men frequently have an unusually high number of risk factors for high blood pressure, including diabetes, high stress levels, and increased salt intake and sensitivity. While high blood pressure can often be controlled through diet, lifestyle changes, or medication, it is a chronic asymptomatic medical condition for which individuals should remain under the care of a regular medical provider. A predominantly Black barbershop may be an optimum and receptive setting for an intervention that focuses on improving the detection and treatment of high blood pressure among Black men. In this study, barbers, deemed as influential peers, will be trained to continually monitor their customers' blood pressure, deliver health messages designed to change risk perception and ideas about healthcare utilization, and provide social support for changes in healthcare-seeking behavior and blood pressure levels. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a barbershop-based intervention at increasing blood pressure awareness and lowering blood pressure levels among Black male customers. With over 18,000 Black barbershops in the United States, the results from this study may be extremely influential in improving the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure in Black men.
This study will enroll Black men who are regular customers at a participating barbershop. Each barbershop will be randomly assigned to either a 10-month intervention group or a control group. Nurses will train the intervention group barbers to measure blood pressure and deliver health messages related to blood pressure control during each customer's visit. Before and after the intervention, study researchers will interview barbers and customers over an 8-week period to collect information on blood pressure control. A 12-month follow-up visit will include assessments of blood pressure levels, customer recognition of elevated blood pressure levels, and the number of customers receiving regular medical care.

Conditions

Interventions

  • Blood pressure lowering methods Procedure/Surgery
  • Blood Pressure Measurement Procedure/Surgery
    Intervention Desc: Blood pressure taken at baseline and at each visit to the barber shop for 8 weeks and again at 12 month follow-up visit.
  • Baseline BP Screening Behavioral
    Intervention Desc: Barbers in the barbershops in the experimental arm will be trained to accurately measure and interpret blood pressure (BP). Each barber will offer a BP check to customers with each haircut, complete an encounter form after each haircut, discuss the BP reading with the customer, identify customers with elevated BP, and refer customers with elevated BP to a regular physician or other primary provider for long-term BP management. Each time a customer with elevated BP goes to a regular medical provider, he receives a free haircut, and the referring barber receives a monetary bonus.
    ARM 1: Kind: Experimental
    Label: Screening & Enhanced Intervention
    Description: After an intensive 10-week baselne screening, the enhanced intervention group barbers will be trained to measure blood pressure and deliver health messages related to blood pressure control during each customer's visit.
  • Intensive 10-week Blood Pressure Screening Other
    Intervention Desc: Intensive 10-week Blood Pressure Screening
    ARM 1: Kind: Experimental
    Label: Screening & Enhanced Intervention
    Description: After an intensive 10-week baselne screening, the enhanced intervention group barbers will be trained to measure blood pressure and deliver health messages related to blood pressure control during each customer's visit.
    ARM 2: Kind: Experimental
    Label: Screening
    Description: After the intensive 10-week baseline BP screening (an intervention in itself), the barbershops in the comparison arm received a continual supply of American Heart Association pamphlets on Hypertension in African Americans.

Trial Design

  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Masking: Open Label
  • Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Endpoint: Efficacy Study
  • Intervention: Parallel Assignment

Patient Involvement

This study will enroll Black men who are regular customers at a participating barbershop. Each barbershop will be randomly assigned to either a 10-month intervention group or a control group. Nurses will train the intervention group barbers to measure blood pressure and deliver health messages related to blood pressure control during each customer's visit. Before and after the intervention, study researchers will interview barbers and customers over an 8-week period to collect information on blood pressure control. A 12-month follow-up visit will include assessments of blood pressure levels, customer recognition of elevated blood pressure levels, and the number of customers receiving regular medical care.

Outcomes

Type Measure Time Frame Safety Issue
Primary Percentage of customers with high blood pressure who achieve recommended systolic and diastolic blood pressure values.
Secondary Customer recognition of elevated blood pressure levels and number of customers with high blood pressure with a regular medical provider.
Primary Percentage of customers with high blood pressure who achieve recommended systolic and diastolic blood pressure values Measured at 12 months No
Secondary Customer recognition of elevated blood pressure levels Measured at 12 months No
Secondary Number of customers with high blood pressure with a regular medical provider Measured at 12 months No

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