Culturally Targeted Group Education on Hypertension Among Hispanic Women

Hypertension is a growing concern among the Hispanic female populations, which is the second largest ethnic group in Texas. Not only are Hispanics less likely to seek care for their chronic illness but they are also at higher risk of a diet consumption high in sodium and fat content. An important aspect of treating hypertension is lifestyle modification, which includes diet, exercise, and medication adherence. A prevalent barrier to self-management of hypertension is the gap in provider - patient communication and a lack of mutual understanding of cultural values and practices. Three project workshops were implemented for 13 participants in a Federal Qualified Health Center clinic with a predominantly Hispanic population. The culturally-targeted education workshops for hypertensive patients were designed to enhance achievement of peer support, utilization of SMART goals, and appropriate follow-up care through mHealth text messaging. Based on the low participant response (1 out of 11) to weekly text messages, no statistically significant conclusion can be reached for follow-up care. The observed peer support during workshop, written feedback by participants after the session, and verbal expression of increased interest in self-management of hypertension, altogether bolster the importance of culturally-targeted group education model for Hispanic women.