Adherence to non-pharmacological treatment: Analysis of the impact of three health educational and nutritional strategies in hypertensive patients

EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS IN IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HYPERTENSIVE PEOPLE: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions in improving the quality of life of people with arterial hypertension. Method: an integrative literature review which included studies that conducted educational interventions aimed at the hypertensive public to improve quality of life. The search was performed in the following databases: MEDLINE, LILACS, IBECS, CUMED, BDENF, SciELO and CINAHL, without restriction of language, date and sample size. For this, the following descriptors were crossed: “hipertensão” (hypertension), “educação em saúde” (health education) and “qualidade de vida” (quality of life). 619 articles were retrieved and after the selection and analysis process, a total of 10 made up this review. Data extraction and analysis were performed with the help of validated instruments and the result summarized. Results: Most studies were developed on a quasi-experimental basis, using generic instruments to measure quality of life with significant improvement after educational interventions, with group technology being the most used educational strategy. Just one study used a specific instrument to evaluate hypertensive patients. Conclusion: these results may direct the interventions to be implemented by health professionals in managing arterial hypertension. Further investigations are needed to identify and verify the most effective interventions for hypertensive patients, considering heterogeneous profiles and aiming at improving quality of life.

Stress, adherence, and blood pressure control: A baseline examination of Black women with hypertension participating in the SisterTalk II intervention

The prevalence of hypertension is highest among Black women, but treatment adherence is reportedly low. Stress unique to the experiences of Black Americans may be associated with low adherence and poor blood pressure control, but few studies have examined the relationships between stress, adherence, and blood pressure control among hypertensive Black women. This study seeks to fill gaps in research by examining the association between stress, adherence, and blood pressure control. The baseline sample (n = 571) of at-risk or hypertensive Black women from the SisterTalk II RCT (Northeastern USA, 2004-2006) to improve adherence to recommendations for hypertension was analyzed. Participants self-reported stress, pharmacological adherence, non-pharmacological adherence (i.e. lifestyle management such as diet and exercise), and demographics. Blood pressure and anthropometrics (BMI and waist circumference) were measured. Statistical analysis included ANOVA, t-tests, linear regression. Tests of mediation examined if adherence mediated the relationship between stress and blood pressure control. This study found that stress was associated with lower age (p < .001) and being a single parent (p < .001). Stress was also associated with higher systolic blood pressure (p = .029), and poor blood pressure control (p = .043). Participants who reported higher stress also reported lower non-pharmacological adherence (p = .042). Non-pharmacological adherence was found to mediate the association between stress and blood pressure control. Hence, results document a relationship between stress with non-pharmacological adherence and blood pressure control among Black American women. More research is necessary to examine the relationship between stress and treatment adherence.

Hypertensive patients in primary health care: access, connection and care involved in spontaneous demands

Objective To assess the impacts of inclusion of care for spontaneous demands in the treatment of hypertensive patients in primary health care. Methods Third generation qualitative assessment survey conducted with 16 workers in a Primary Care Health Unit (PHCU) of the city of Fortaleza, state of Ceara, in the period between July and September of 2015. To collect data, systematic field observation and semi-structured interviews were used, and the stages of thematic content analysis were adopted for data analysis. Results Participants revealed that access, connection and care are fundamental to the treatment of hypertension. However, they said that the introduction of free access for spontaneous demands compromised the flow of care in the hypertension programs. Conclusion A dichotomy between the practice of care recommended by health policies and the one existing in the reality of PHCUs was shown, causing evident losses to the care of hypertensive patients in primary care.