Community-based blood pressure screening in Newfoundland and Labrador: Results from the 2024 May Measurement Month campaign
TL;DR
The large number of participants with elevated BP and known hypertension and/or diabetes suggests that improvements are needed in the primary health care setting to support patients in reaching their BP targets.
Abstract
May Measurement Month (MMM) is an annual, global blood pressure (BP) screening campaign that aims to raise awareness of the risks associated with hypertension. During MMM 2024, community pharmacies across Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) participated in the initiative, contributing BP screening data to local, national, and international research efforts. The primary objective of this study was to assess the local burden of elevated BP among those with and without known hypertension. This cross-sectional study followed a modified version of the MMM protocol. All consenting adults 18 years or older were eligible to participate. Data were collected at 25 community pharmacies in NL. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data; logistic regression was used to identify associations between elevated BP and selected covariates. Among 220 participants (mean age 53.3 ± 17.8 years), 68.2% were female, and 40.9% had known hypertension. Analysis included 208 participants with 3 BP readings. Elevated BP was observed in 25.5%, including 18.3% without known hypertension and 36.9% taking antihypertensives. Body mass index and diabetes were statistically significant predictors of elevated BP in the multivariate model. The proportion of participants in this study with elevated BP exceeds national statistics. The large number of participants with elevated BP and known hypertension and/or diabetes suggests that improvements are needed in the primary health care setting to support patients in reaching their BP targets. Community pharmacists in NL uncovered large numbers of patients with elevated BP as part of MMM 2024, demonstrating the success of this community-based initiative.