Covid-19 is an additional stressor Black women have to deal with that may interfere withhypertension self-care management. Social connectedness is a source of resilience forBlack women to promote mental and physical health. Unfortunately, in the face of theCovid-19 pandemic, social distancing is a challenge further isolating Black women fromtheir networks. How is social connectedness to manage stress and emotional well-being ina social-distancing society for Black women with hypertension? The research team proposeda synchronous web-based version of Enhanced Co-Created Health Education InterventioN(eCo-CHIN) that build the success and best practices derived from the originalintervention. A Covid-19 session will be included as a way of helping Black women tomaintain resilience and self-care during stressful times. The eCo-CHIN intervention isinnovative and timely because the research team are using a synchronous platformpreparing Black women on how to deal with Covid-19 while taking care of self. The primaryinvestigator for this pilot study (Dr. Wright) is a Black Early Stage Investigator andformer KL2 (career development) awardee. The interdisciplinary research team has theexpertise and resources to deliver this Enhanced Co-CHIN intervention.
The rationale for the study is that the adherence to healthy self-care behaviors reduces
poor nutrition, altered sleep, sedentary behavior, psychosocial stress, and emotional
dysregulation, thereby reducing negative impacts on the brain, since all these factors
contribute to neural inflammation and increased BP. Health-promoting self-care behaviors
have the known short-term effect of enhanced cognitive function (processing speed,
attention, and executive function) through the use of The Repeatable Neuropsychiatric
Battery (RBANS) which is also an innovative component of OUR Project. Thirty middle-aged
Black women (45-65 years old) with a self-reported diagnosis of hypertension will be
enrolled. The development of this group-delivered intervention will be an iterative
process, and the research team will use this pilot data to submit an R21 for a 12-week
intervention through the National Institutes on Aging.
Behavioral: Stress and emotion management
Group intervention led by a nurse and dietitian to address stress, emotion management and
healthy lifestyle for African American women with hypertension. The weekly sessions will
include:how to manage stress during Covid-19, taking blood pressure, interpersonal
relationships skills, mindful awareness, restful sleep, physical activity, and healthy
eating.
Inclusion Criteria:
- English speaking,
- self-identification as Black/African America
- diagnosis of hypertension (treated with medications and or lifestyle management)
- female sex
- access to a smart phone or a computer capable of connecting to the Internet
Exclusion Criteria:
- no access to computer with internet Smart phone
- diagnosis of resistant hypertension defined as blood pressure that remains above
goal despite concurrent use of three antihypertensive agents of different classes,
one of which should be a diuretic/water pill.
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Kathy D Wright, PhD, RN, Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor