PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Hundley, Jennifer
AU  - Olson, Kristine
AU  - Rocha, Cherylann
AU  - Wallace, Margaret K.
AU  - Smith, Grace
AU  - Martin, Katharina
AU  - Crane, Micheal
AU  - D’Agostino, Ralph
AU  - Ladd, Amy
AU  - Shah, Sangeeta
TI  - Partnering With Schools for Community-Based Health Interventions: How Educating Children Improves Hypertension Awareness
AID  - 10.31486/toj.24.0099
DP  - 2025 Mar 20
TA  - Ochsner Journal
PG  - 34--43
VI  - 25
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/25/1/34.short
4100  - http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/25/1/34.full
SO  - Ochsner J2025 Mar 20; 25
AB  - Background More than 16,000 Virginians die of cardiovascular disease each year, with increased morbidity among Black and low-income adults. Hypertension (HTN) is the most modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factor. A community-based health intervention administered in partnership with schools may increase HTN awareness and reduce the development of unhealthy practices.Methods Elementary school students (n=52) attending a majority Black and low-income school participated in an educational intervention program called Teach BP that is designed to increase HTN awareness across 4 topics: knowledge of blood pressure (BP) and HTN, organ systems impacted by HTN, habits to maintain a healthy BP, and competency in operating a BP monitor.Results Students’ ability to define and recognize HTN increased by an average of 62.7%. Their awareness of how HTN affects the body increased by an average of 92.1%. Additionally, students demonstrated competency in operating a BP monitor.Conclusion The Teach BP program was effective at increasing students’ awareness of HTN.