Health for Hearts United Longitudinal Trial: Reducing Blood Pressure Levels in Mid-life and Older Black Americans and Exploring the Role of Religiosity

Abstract

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Health for Hearts United Longitudinal Trial in reducing blood pressure levels in mid-life and older Black Americans. The secondary purpose was to explore the role of religiosity.

Design

Community-based quasi-experimental design with six churches (three treatment, three comparison).

Setting

Two-county area of North Florida.

Sample

Mid-life and older Black Americans (overall sample, n = 64, Mean age = 58.1, SD = ±9.1; 68.3% female), stratified by age and sex. Treatment group (n = 39, Mean age = 57.6, SD = ±9.2 years; 63.9% female). Comparison group (n = 25, Mean age = 59, ±9.0 years; 75% female).

Measures

Questionnaire (three-item religiosity scale, age, sex, education level, marital status, blood pressure medication) and clinical measures (resting blood pressure, height, weight, C-reactive protein).

Analysis

Bivariate analysis, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results

The results of the repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure between baseline and 18 months for both treatment and comparison groups. Between 18 and 24 months, both groups increased in systolic blood pressure, but the treatment group increased less than the comparison group. Diastolic blood pressure showed increases between baseline and 18 months for both groups, but a larger decrease between 18 and 24 months for the treatment group in contrast to the comparison group. Significant covariates in the study included age and marital status with religiosity not found to be significant.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that participation in a longitudinal church-based study for 18 months can reduce systolic blood pressure in mid-life and older Black Americans.