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Prevalence, Awareness and Management of Hypertension in Acute Care Personnel

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Hypertension
Interventions
Behavioral: Physical activity
Behavioral: Dietary
Other: Primary care provider visit
Registration Number
NCT01655654
Lead Sponsor
Providence Health & Services
Brief Summary

The primary purpose of this study is to identify the percentage of health care workers working in an acute care hospital who have high blood pressure, to determine the awareness of their blood pressure status, and to see how well it is managed. Study participants will come from the following three distinctly different types of departments: telemetry (clinical), non-telemetry (clinical), and non-direct patient care staff. All study participants are offered educational information surrounding high blood pressure and review the recommendation for their primary care engagement. Study participants with high blood pressure will be asked to continue in the study for up to 6 months. It is intended that each study participant who continues will take their blood pressure three times a day and record the results in a study provided diary. Each study participant should also make some of the suggested changes that promote a healthier lifestyle including exercising, improving their diet, and seeing their primary care provider. It is the thought that these changes will reduce the study participant's blood pressure. The secondary purpose is to determine the effect shift work has on these hospital employees and the potential positive effects of the three interventions.

Detailed Description

Research on hypertension (HTN) in hospital personnel during work hours is limited yet research has been published on the relationship of job strain and the risk of cardiovascular disease. HTN can be caused by sympathoadrenal activation brought on by long-term exposure to stressors and an inherent biomarker that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The primary purpose of this study is to quantify differences in HTN prevalence, awareness and management in three distinctly different areas and shifts within an acute hospital. Blood pressure (BP) will be taken during working hours along with pre and post sleep hours. The secondary purpose is to identify the effect of shift work within an acute care hospital and effectiveness of: BP monitoring, increases in physical activity, positive nutritional changes, and the correlation between a primary care provider visits and lowering BP.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
160
Inclusion Criteria
  • Providence Health System's Southwest Washington Service Area (SWSA) employees
  • Subjects who will be included in the intervention part of the study will have two consecutive BP readings of > 140/90
  • Has or is willing to have collaborative PCP
  • Understand and sign the informed consent form
Exclusion Criteria
  • Under the age of 18
  • Has a severe systemic illness with life expectancy judged less than three years
  • Has a severe vascular event such as Myocardial Infarction or Cerebral Vascular Event in the past 90 days
  • Is enrolled in another therapeutic program or similar study, and
  • Has a condition which, in the opinion of the investigators, may prevent the subject from participating in the study

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Cohort 2Physical activityAll subjects of cohort 1 who also are considered hypertensive and participated in one or more study interventions, which include behavioral interventions (an increase in physical activity, or dietary changes) or who have a primary care provider visit to discuss hypertension.
Cohort 2Primary care provider visitAll subjects of cohort 1 who also are considered hypertensive and participated in one or more study interventions, which include behavioral interventions (an increase in physical activity, or dietary changes) or who have a primary care provider visit to discuss hypertension.
Cohort 2DietaryAll subjects of cohort 1 who also are considered hypertensive and participated in one or more study interventions, which include behavioral interventions (an increase in physical activity, or dietary changes) or who have a primary care provider visit to discuss hypertension.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Reduction of blood pressure6 months

The study will look for a reduction in blood pressure during a 6-month time frame among those identified at screening to have high blood pressure and who continue on in the study.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Providence St. Peter Hospital

🇺🇸

Olympia, Washington, United States

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