Background/Abstract

OPERATION BLOOD PRESSURE: What’s my BP?

Know your Blood Pressure Everyday

Mission

This is a community-wide program and initiative to promote awareness on cardiovascular health that remains the leading cause of death among our adult population. Operation Blood Pressure will focus on 2 areas: 1) Prevention of Hypertension with Healthy Lifestyles and 2) Management of Hypertension through Lifestyle Modifications.

Objectives

Using the community approach, organizing a multi-cultural Social Club in this community will provide us with a tool to reach out to the marginalized and quiet/silent group of South Asian population of men, women and seniors. Through “TEA” times (meaning Teach, Empower, Advocate)meetings and socializations, intergenerational and intercultural exchanges among our target population of immigrants will be encouraged to mobilize individuals to practice healthy lifestyles and prevent hypertension and related cardiovascular conditions and diseases.

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

• CIRCLE OF HEALING (STAGES)
• Getting Acquainted, Building Relationships, Addressing Issues, and Taking Action
• STORY-TELLING Introduction, Incident, Impact, Reflection
• FOOD AS MEDICINE Proper Choices, Preparation, Cooking, Enjoyment
• MOVEMENT AS HEALTH Qi Gong, Yoga, Exercises, Rhythmic Dancing
• STILLNESS MEDITATION Qi Gong, Healing Sounds, Breathing Techniques, Focused Prayer
• ENTREPRENEURSHIP Health & Wealth Continuum Program, Financial Literacy

RESOURCES

Resource materials for teaching from specialized groups, like neighborhood hospitals, Jamaica, Northwell, Queens Hospitals, American Heart Association, CDC, Department of Health will be obtained and independent practitioners, doctors and nurses will be invited in the meetings to provide evidenced-based information and effective, appropriate strategies for this program.

1. Teaching Points:

• What is Blood Pressure?
• How to use and read Blood Pressure monitors.
• What causes Hypertension?
• What are the symptoms of Hypertension?
• How to manage Hypertension
• What are the complications of Hypertension?
• Lifestyle Modifications, Diet, Exercise
• Stress Reduction

2. Simple case finding of people affected with hypertension based on self-reports or medical management by doctors and nurse practitioners.
3. Provide high-risk individuals with sphygmomanometers to self-monitor their blood pressure at home.

OPERATION BLOOD PRESSURE will fill in needs, like

1. Assisting in providing adult immigrants information and access to culturally sensitive & competent health-care services or therapies for hypertension
2. Engaging adult immigrants in self-empowering health and wellness practices,
3. Mobilizing adults affected with the disease (hypertension) to become self sufficient in taking care of themselves and making them responsible for self-care.  
4. Training adults to monitor blood pressure and maintain their health and wellness.

For adult immigrants who have not accessed heath care services, Operation Blood Pressure will increase awareness on the impact of their health habits on blood pressure.  Additionally, this awareness could bring out relevant issues, like, access to proper housing or job opportunities for financial independence.

(HOW TO MEASURE SUCCESS OF PROJECT )

Success will be measured by the following indicators:

1. General Attendance- The adult women or men’s group of 5-10 will come to meetings at the TNO office location weekly.
2. Knowledge Assessments of Adult women and men through self-reports on what they have learned about blood pressure and health habits.
3. Satisfaction Feedback Report

(HOW CAN PROJECT OR THE BENEFITS CREATED BY PROJECTS BE CONTINUED?

Non-quantifiable measures include forming trust and friendships among Social Club members, strong enough to pursue mutually beneficial projects. For Operation Blood Pressure, participants would bring in more family members and friends for blood pressure screening and monitoring. An extended benefit could be increased awareness of important annual or bi-annual visits to their health care providers.

Another benefit could be deciding to follow or participate in “Health is Wealth: Entrepreneurship and Wellness” program with The Nursing Office.Com.

(LASTING BENEFITS)

Lasting benefits will be invaluable experience of both adult women and men in improving health habits and health-seeking information to guide choices in food/nutrition, hygiene, exercise and weight management, and other lifestyle activities to prevent onset of hypertension, manage hypertension and prevent complications from hypertension.

CONDUCTING OUTREACH TO INVOLVE OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY IN THE PROJECT

TNO volunteer staff and associates and partner organizations will conduct tabling and blood pressure screenings in churches and other faith-based organizations. Presentations at Community Board 9, City Council District, State Senate District and other activities through the Office of Assemblyman David Weprin (State Assembly District 24), among others, will tell about people doing good for themselves and others.

TNO and PCCSA associates actively participate in Filipino-American community, where social, cultural & political events, such as the annual Filipino-American General Assembly, historical commemorations, town hall meetings, etc., provide ample opportunities to share, expose and demonstrate how small groups like women or elderly Social Clubs could be workable in small neighborhoods, and be more connected or open to other ethnic groups. 

TNO will conduct an “OPEN HOUSE” at the Community Center and invite them to attend various activities and programs, like the Art Exhibits in the Center Gallery. We will also conduct forums and meetings on important issues like immigration and naturalization.

For the South Asian/Indo-Caribbean communities in Richmond Hill, outreach through daily interactions with customers and walk-ins, via Community Board 9 meetings and through the Office of Assemblyman David Weprin (State Assembly District 24), among others, will facilitate cooperative support and/or working collaborations with socio-civic organizations in the neighborhood.

Research & Evidence Based

Access to preventive care tied to rates of cardiovascular events

CardiovascularBusiness.com (4/3)

• Peanuts intake
• Salt intake

Study: Normal-weight minorities may have higher heart risks

Resolutions & Recommendations

Lifestyle Changes and modifications

• Diet
• Exercise
• Weight management

Blood Pressure monitoring

• Every individual who is at risk or who has hypertension should have a BP apparatus prescribed by the Primary Care Provider.
• BP Clinics (The Nurse is churches and schools)

References & Resources

http://pcna.net/

Operation Blood Pressure TNO-Philippines