Women with Blood Pressure Improvement in the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation Program by Race and Ethnicity, 2014-2018

Abstract

Background: The Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program aims to improve the cardiovascular health of women aged 40-64 years with low incomes, and who are uninsured or underinsured. The objective is to examine WISEWOMAN participants with hypertension who had high blood pressure (BP) improvement from January 2014 to June 2018, by race and ethnicity. Also examined was participation in WISEWOMAN Healthy Behavior Support Services (HBSS) and adherence to antihypertensive medication. Materials and Methods: WISEWOMAN data from January 2014 to June 2018 were analyzed by race and ethnicity. BP improvement was defined as at least a 5 mm Hg decrease in systolic or diastolic BP values from baseline screening to rescreening. The prevalence of HBSS participation and antihypertensive medication adherence were calculated among hypertensive women with BP improvement. Results: Approximately 64.2% (4,984) of WISEWOMAN participants with hypertension had at least a 5 mm Hg BP improvement. These improvements were consistent across each race and ethnicity (p = 0.56) in the study. Nearly 70% of women who had BP improvement attended at least one HBSS. Hispanic women (80.1%) had the highest HBSS attendance percentage compared to non-Hispanic Black women (64.1%) and non-Hispanic White women (63.8%; p < 0.001). About 80% of women with BP improvement reported being adherent to antihypertensive medication in the previous 7 days. Conclusions: The proportion of women achieving BP improvement in the WISEWOMAN program was consistent across race and ethnicity. In addition, women with BP improvement reported adherence to antihypertensive medication and participation in HBSS.

Keywords: Healthy Behavior Support Services; WISEWOMAN; antihypertensive medication adherence; blood pressure improvement; high blood pressure; hypertension; hypertension management.