Introduction
Cardiovascular diseases are among the most common conditions that people suffer from. Using healthy lifestyle promotion strategies among African American men can help raise awareness about blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. In particular, the barbershop setting can be used to promote healthy behaviors, given the cultural context of African Americans.
The proposed strategy aligns with the Healthy People 2030 program, which aims to reduce fatal cases of cardiovascular disease (Mensah, 2018). Although high blood pressure can impact any adult regardless of race or ethnicity, hypertension is more widespread among African Americans. In fact, it is estimated that more than 40 percent of colored men and women in the U.S. suffer from high blood pressure (Okafor, 2021; Peters et al., 2006). In black people, the disease often develops at a young age and progresses with complications.
Justification
Hypertension is claimed to be more common in black Americans due to social, economic, and medical differences. Studies have shown a link between racism and racial discrimination in high blood pressure (Peters et al., 2006; White et al., 2021). The perception of racism typically causes a high level of stress and lowered self-esteem, which further results in an increase in blood pressure.
Furthermore, personal beliefs and attitudes toward health can influence the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as hypertension (Mensah, 2018). The target group for the intervention was African American men aged 18-80 years. These individuals are more likely to suffer from the specified conditions for numerous reasons. This paper aims to address the chosen concern and develop an intervention that could halt its spread.
Planning
At the intervention planning stage, it is crucial to determine where the initiative will be implemented. For this project, barbershops were chosen as a location frequented mainly by African Americans in a selected area. Informing hairdressers of their importance to society and public health to fulfill the sit and blood pressure check requirement before contacting a hairdresser.
Before having a haircut, men will be offered a blood pressure test. The intervention will help individuals, specifically men, identify their blood pressure levels. If it is too low or high, they will be recommended to visit the doctor and receive a leaflet with preventive strategies.
People who are not directly involved in healthcare provision must advocate for public health issues, thus raising awareness in the community. Nola Pender’s Health Promotion Model can be applied in this scenario as it fits perfectly for several reasons (Cardoso et al., 2021). Primarily, it defines health as a dynamic state, rather than just the absence of disease. It means that men with or without hypertension need to be aware of their condition and how it fluctuates over time.
Moreover, the model is applicable in a way that attracts external stakeholders, such as barbers. Such an approach enables the widespread dissemination of the concept of health and its promotion (Cardoso et al., 2021). In the chosen case, the community will consider it and check their blood pressure indicators. Ultimately, the theory can help elucidate how individual characteristics and behaviors influence the development of blood pressure-related conditions.
Leaflets outlining symptoms, consequences, and changes one can implement will be distributed in the area and directly in the barbershop. This approach is efficient, as people may recognize some of their symptoms and seek medical attention for a checkup. Additionally, preventive measures may motivate men to take care of their health and abandon unhealthy habits. Changing behavioral patterns is an essential part of maintaining one’s health; therefore, a precise description will be provided in the handout. Changing the behavioral pattern in the chosen population may impact the quality of their lives.
Implementation
Every adult should control their blood pressure. In case of high blood pressure, consult a doctor. However, the current guide will also introduce several strategies for preventing hypertension and high blood pressure. Doctors have approved these strategies, and they are beneficial for the exposed groups. The strategies are the following:
- Promote mental well-being and a positive emotional state by encouraging people to attend a psychotherapist (Chae et al., 2020). It is indispensable to learn how to manage stress in practical ways, such as meditation, various types of psychotherapy, and establishing a positive social environment.
- The second component of the prevention of hypertension is sufficient physical movement. People will be advised on how to exercise with minimal effort yet achieve visible results. For a citizen, it is indispensable to walk for at least 1 hour daily in a forested area.
- Finally, the reduction of being overweight or the treatment of this problem is the pivotal factor that can result positively. Hence, each visitor to barbershops will be provided with dietary guidance. For instance, satisfactory control of blood pressure may be achieved, and in some cases, drug therapy may be discontinued (Okafor, 2021).
These approaches may promote healthy living among the chosen group. Since these individuals are prone to eating fast food, which negatively affects their digestion and, in turn, contributes to obesity, they often neglect their health (Chae et al., 2020). As a result, extra weight causes cardiovascular issues such as hypertension and others (Peters et al., 2006). Therefore, the suggested interventions will be offered to promote healthy living and prevent the emergence of cardiovascular disorders.
Evaluation
The plan is expected to be evaluated by several means. First, the number of patients who receive a blood pressure check will be assessed, and the median blood pressure will be recorded. Moreover, the participants will be given a questionnaire to assess whether they take any preventive measures on their own. In addition, the barbershop will collaborate with several hospitals, where respondents with high blood pressure will be referred. The number of hospital visits will also be assessed to track the number of people managing their condition.
Conclusion
In summation, African American men aged between 18 and 80 are highly exposed to cardiovascular diseases due to such factors as living in a community, economy, socioeconomic issues, and others. It is indispensable to promote the prevention of such conditions as they significantly affect people’s lives and sometimes lead to fatal cases. Therefore, an initiative to raise awareness in the black community was introduced. This program will be launched at barbershops in areas with a high concentration of African-American residents, who will be encouraged to check their blood pressure before receiving a service. The intervention will be measured by calculating the numerical statistics regarding those who practice preventive measures and the median number of exposed people.
References
Cardoso, R. B., Caldas, C. P., Brandão, M. A. G., Souza, P. A., & Santana, R. F. (2021). Healthy aging promotion model referenced in Nola Pender’s theory. Revista Brasileira De Enfermagem, 75(1), e20200373.
Chae, D. H., Wang, Y., Martz, C. D., Slopen, N., Yip, T., Adler, N. E., Fuller-Rowell, T. E., Lin, J., Matthews, K. A., Brody, G. H., Spears, E. C., Puterman, E., & Epel, E. S. (2020). Racial discrimination and telomere shortening among African Americans: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Health Psychology, 39(3), 209–219.
Mensah, G. A. (2018). Cardiovascular diseases in African Americans: Fostering community partnerships to stem the tide. American Journal of Kidney Diseases: The Official Journal of The National Kidney Foundation, 72(5 Suppl 1), S37–S42.
Okafor, J. (2021). An educational intervention: Storytelling, blood pressure, and the African American community [Doctoral project, California State University]. Fresno State.
Peters, R. M., Aroian, K. J., & Flack, J. M. (2006). African American culture and hypertension prevention. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 28(7), 831–863.
White, M. J., Holliday, K. M., Hoover, S., Robinson-Ezekwe, N., Corbie-Smith, G., Williams, A., Bess, K., & Frerichs, L. (2021). The significant places of African American adults and their perceived influence on cardiovascular disease risk behaviors. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 2018.