Targeting Hypertension: Working with Rural Barbershops to Identify Hypertension and Encourage Treatment

Introduction. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), accounting for one in every four U.S. deaths, has had a devastating impact on Mississippi's African American population. Seeking innovative mitigation models, this study assesses CVD prevalence and reach via barbershops to rural Mississippi African Americans. Methods. Data was collected from barbershop clientele who consented to be screened and contacted for referral to clinical care if blood pressure was found to be elevated. Results. Most participants were African American (97.7%, n=2,756) and male (54.4%). Descriptive findings revealed more than one-third of participants (34.2%) had elevated blood pressure at screening. Factoring in those with hypertension in control, we found lower rates of hypertension in the male population (males 51.4% vs. females 57.8%), a sharp contrast to national rates. Conclusion. Evaluation findings suggest CVD prevalence in rural Mississippi is comparatively high but that barbershop partners were able to successfully reach and screen the target population.