Overview
This is a 12-month behavioral cluster-randomized trial testing a church-based intervention to reduce blood pressure in African Americans with uncontrolled blood pressure.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Churches
-
- At least 75 members and ability to recruit 15 study participants
- Predominantly African American congregants
- Participants
-
- Age 18 or older
- Has blood pressure readings with uncontrolled blood pressure, defined as exceeding
the blood thresholds for initiation of antihypertensive medication according to the
2017 American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association (ACC/AHA)
guidelines.
- The thresholds are 140/90 for the general population < 65 years old, and 130/80 for individuals ≥ 65 or with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or high cardiovascular risk (self-report of prior diagnosis of myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, stroke or heart failure)
- Attends church (virtually or in-person) at least once per month
- Able to attend weekly Zoom meetings
- Consents and completes all baseline assessments
Exclusion Criteria:
- Churches
• Pastor unwilling to conduct Bible study
- Participants
-
- Unable to make dietary changes due to lack of control over their food source (i.e., eat meals at shelter, nursing home)
- Has a medical condition that prohibits or severely restricts ability to eat vegetables (i.e., renal disease, Crohn's disease)
- Has a medical condition with an uncertain 6-month prognosis
- Inability to give informed consent (i.e., cognitive impairment, does not speak Englis
- Plans to move within the 6 months following enrollment
- Participated in prior ALIVE intervention
- Member of household participating in another church