Intended audience: Community Health Workers

Description: 

Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure (hypertension). Although high blood pressure can be easily detected and can be controlled with lifestyle changes and medication, many individuals with hypertension don’t know they have it, and only about 25% of those with hypertension have it under control. Community Health Workers are ideally situated to be champions for patients with, or at risk of, hypertension. Learning about hypertension in addition to understanding risks, cultural factors, and how to control hypertension gives CHWs extra tools to respond to patients who have hypertension. 

 At the end of this training, community health workers and their supervisors will be able to: 

• Describe the physiology behind hypertension 
• Identify the symptoms and signs of hypertension
• Describe best practices for how blood pressure can be accurately measured in the body 
• Identify ways to encourage patients to control and manage their high blood pressure 
• Understand principal barriers faced by patients in controlling their blood pressure
• Discuss possible cultural perspectives on hypertension

Training presented by: Center for Health Impact

Trainer: Marilyn Gardner