NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology

Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology-Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology                           

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

How to Write the Introduction for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology                         

The introduction for the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

How to Write the Body for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology                         

After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology                         

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

How to Format the References List for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology                           

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

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Sample Answer for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology

Natural and manmade disaster is a source of harm and destruction to human health and, therefore, should effectively be managed to minimize potential damage. Applied epidemiology in a disaster setting offers a source of valuable and actionable information for stakeholders and decision-makers during the disaster management period (Bartolucci et al., 2019). One of the recent disasters that led to a population health issue is the USA 2021 Dec Tornado. In early and mid-December 2021, dozens of tornadoes resulted in destruction across several states in the USA, resulting in a population health issue.

The 2021 USA tornado resulted in various epidemiological considerations. In the wake of the disaster, various stakeholders moved in to secure lives and conduct various rescue operations. Disaster epidemiologists focused on reducing the number of injuries, illnesses, and death resulting from the tornado, offering accurate and timely health information for decision-makers, and improving mitigation and prevention strategies for future disasters (Nash et al., 2021). Preparation for future disasters entails collecting relevant information to enhance response preparation. The injured individuals were admitted to various hospitals, with emergency response teams offering relief supplies (Smith, 2021). In addition, mortality and morbidity surveillance was used to determine the scope and extent of the health impacts on the affected population. These efforts are consistent with epidemiological considerations of assessing the human health effects of a disaster and studying potential problems connected to prevention and planning.

The community responded to the tornado. However, various factors made the efforts ineffective to an extent. For example, there were interruptions in the power supply and clean water supply hence making the response more challenging (Smith, 2021). In addition, there were also transport hurdles which did not make it any easier to take the injured to the hospital.

References

Bartolucci, A., Jafar, A. J., Sloan, D., & Whitworth, J. (2019). Defining the roles of data manager and epidemiologist in emergency medical teams. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 34(6), 668-674. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X19004965

Nash, D. B., Skoufalos, A., Fabius, R. J. & Oglesby, W. H.  (2021). On the path to health equity. In Population health: Creating a culture of wellness (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Smith N. (2021). Multi-State Tornado Response Continues as Essential Medications Depart https://www.directrelief.org/2021/12/multi-state-tornado-response-continues-as-essential-medications-depart/

Sample Answer 2 for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology

Applied Epidemiology, Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

During the Spring of 2010, a manmade disaster, an oil rig explosion which came to be known as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH), caused serious loss of human and marine life and shocked the Gulf Coast community. This disaster led to population health issues including impaired lung function, headaches and other pains, dizziness, and depression and other mental/behavioral health challenges for victims, victims’ families, and cleanup crews (Kirkland et al., 2017). Oil spill impacts are easily apparent in terms of respiratory health concerns, marine life problems, or local tourism or seafood economy downturns; however, such a disaster has had more subtle and hidden impacts on the mental health of nearby communities.

Fan et al. (2015) noted the collective knowledge added to the mental health care field after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, and how this learning experience may have contributed to awareness of psychological vulnerabilities of directly impacted victims (witnesses) of the DWH explosion. Authors described an assessment called Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) which demonstrated that depression and anxiety prevalence did decrease at one year post disaster compared with immediately following the disaster (Fan et al., 2015). They concluded that, though “persons who are most directly affected through direct exposure should be the primary focus for any public health intervention effort,” indirect victims (such as those involved in disaster mitigation or cleanup efforts) may constitute a larger prevalence and therefore require a differently focused effort for behavioral health support (Fan et al., 2015, p. 39).

By some measures, the area was prepared with somewhat of a framework for an environmental and occupational health disaster, in that it had an established referral process for occupational hazard injury by which victims could seek assessment, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations (Kirkland et al., 2017). It can be argued that further community preparation for future disasters occurred after the DWH disaster, since CME/CE credit modules were dispersed to primary care providers through online platforms after this event (Kirkland et al., 2017). A similar event-driven interest arose among members of the community, and community outreach with education about environmental exposures and hazards increased in the years after the DWH spill (Kirkland et al., 2017). Therefore, though perhaps community preparation was not thorough or complete, it is possible that primary care providers, community members, and other networked organizations now have a layer of experience with population health risks after manmade environmental disasters they would not have had otherwise. The authors soberly note the “general need to train both EOH [environmental and occupational health] specialists and PCPs in environmental medicine” (Kirkland et al., 2017, p. S77); I wholeheartedly agree, since disaster victims can hardly hope to obtain triage and treatment if their local healthcare providers do not know how to recognize exposure concerns and prescribe appropriate care across a variety of disaster-related diagnoses.

References

Fan, A. Z., Prescott, M. R., Zhao, G., Gotway, C. A., &Galea, S. (2015). Individual and community-level determinants of mental and physical health after the deepwater horizon oil spill: findings from the gulf States population survey. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 42(1), 23–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-014-9418-7

Kirkland, K., Sherman, M., Covert, H., Barlet, G., &Lichtveld, M. (2017). A Framework for Integrating Environmental and Occupational Health and Primary Care in a Postdisaster Context. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 23, S71-S77. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000000656

Sample Answer 3 for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 1: Applied Epidemiology

Hypertension is a crucial public health concern with increasing prevalence in the modern world. Patients suffering from hypertension experience low-quality life due to the increased need for frequent emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and medications purchase. The risk for complications due to hypertension is also high in cases of poor disease management. Populations, including healthcare providers, are highly predisposed to hypertension due to the stressful nature of their workplaces. Interventions that reduce the risk and rate of hypertension among healthcare providers should be adopted. Healthcare organizations should lead the implementation of evidence-based interventions to address their employees’ needs. Therefore, this epidemiology project explores the issue of hypertension among healthcare providers and proposes an intervention that can be adopted to address it.

Description of the Problem

Selected Environment

The selected environment for this project is the workplace for healthcare providers. The existing literature shows that the workplace environment for healthcare providers is among the leading sources of occupational stress (Thomas et al., 2020). Accordingly, it exposes healthcare providers to stressors that include high workload, working overtime, time-intensive pressures, monotony, inadequate rest periods, and poor physical conditions. The workplace of the healthcare providers is also characterized by hardships that include insomnia, dietary irregularities, and prolonged standing period that predisposes them to health risks. Therefore, hospitals with many occupational risks have been considered very dangerous workplaces for healthcare providers, patients, and their significant others (Khorsandi et al., 2017). Combined, workplace factors that act as sources of stressors predispose healthcare providers to metabolic problems that can also result in blood pressure elevation. Workplace factors such as reduced sleep duration for night shift employees increase the risk of coronary artery calcification, hence, heart diseases, stroke, and even death among them (Kurtul et al., 2020). Consequently, workplace factors play a crucial effect in hypertension development among healthcare providers.

Selected Population Health Problem

The selected population health problem is hypertension among healthcare providers. Hypertension is a health problem characterized by systolic pressure of 130 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of 80 mm Hg and above (Iqbal & Jamal, 2021). Individuals affected by hypertension are increasingly predisposed to complications that include stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and renal disease. The patients’ quality of life also declines due to loss of productivity, frequent visits to the emergency department, hospitalizations, and high cost of care (Lee et al., 2018). The causes of hypertension may be idiopathic or attributed to modifiable and non-modifiable factors (Iqbal & Jamal, 2021). The modifiable risk factors associated with hypertension include physical inactivity, diabetes, unhealthy dietary habits, overweight and obesity, and abuse of substances that include alcohol and smoking. Some of the non-modifiable risk factors associated with the condition include genetics, ethnicity, and age (Iqbal & Jamal, 2021).

The global rate of hypertension is high, as seen from the statistics that its prevalence rate is 26% (Iqbal &Jamal, 2021). About one-third of the adults in the United States of America suffer from hypertension. Hypertension prevalence rises with the advancing age of the adult population. The existing evidence demonstrates that between 65 and 75% of the adults in the USA develop hypertension when they reach ages 65-75 years (Iqbal & Jamal, 2021). The rate of men affected by hypertension is high compared to women before they reach the age of 65 years. According to the CDC, almost half of the deaths reported in the USA in 2019 had hypertension as the contributing or causative factor. The CDC further reports that almost half of the adults in the USA have hypertension with 1 in every 4 of them having controlled hypertension. The state incurs significant costs in treating hypertension. For example, the USA spends about $131 billion annually to treat hypertension. Ethnic disparities in hypertension exist, with a high prevalence noted among non-Hispanic black adults compared to American whites (CDC, 2021). The global mortality rate is estimated to be 7.6 million every year (Iqbal & Jamal, 2021).

Healthcare providers are highly predisposed to hypertension due to work-related factors. Accordingly, high-stress levels cause changes in processes including metabolism, increasing their risk of hypertension. High levels of stress have been linked to morbidity and mortality due to hypertension among nurses. Work demands such as night shifts have been shown to increase the risk of healthcare providers developing cardiovascular disease (Kurtul et al., 2020; Sheppard et al., 2020). For example, night shift employees sleep an average of six or fewer hours, which increases the risk of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and stroke among them.

Studies have demonstrated that healthcare providers are exposed to multiple stressors in their workplace. They include working overtime, time-intensive pressures, high workload, complex tasks, inadequate breaks, and poor physical conditions. They are also exposed to hardships that include insomnia, prolonged standing, and dietary irregularities. The cumulative effect of these stressors includes increased risk and prevalence of hypertension among healthcare providers. For example, statistics show that the prevalence of hypertension among hospital employees is 21.3% (Bryant et al., 2020; Kurtul et al., 2020; Sheppard et al., 2020). Therefore, interventions that reduce the rate and risk of hypertension among healthcare providers should be adopted.

Research Question

The project questions that will guide the investigation are as follows:

1. Among healthcare workers of the medical unit aged 20 to 50 years, does psychological stress in the healthcare facility contribute towards the development of hypertension over 6 months?
2. Among Healthcare Personnel On a Medical Unit Aged 20 To 50 Years Having Psychological Stress, Does Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring with A Comprehensive Education in The Healthcare Facility as Compared to No Intervention Contribute to The Deterrence of Development of Hypertension Over 6 Months?

Research Methods

The project will adopt a prospective cohort study. A prospective cohort study is a quantitative study design, which is longitudinal. The study entails following the participants over a given period to determine the relationship between exposure and outcomes. The participants are similar but differ based on factors under focus in the investigation. The prospective cohort study design is appropriate for the project since it seeks to determine the cause of a health problem. The investigation begins at the baseline where data about the exposure and outcomes are collected at the start of the project from both groups. The participants are then followed over time to determine if, and when they developed hypertension or worsening of symptoms following their exposure to workplace stressors.  The advantage of adopting this design for the project is that it will help determine the risk factors of healthcare providers developing hypertension following their exposure to occupational stressors. The design also provides highly reliable and valid data since the collection of data at regular intervals eliminates recall bias (George, 2021).

The participants for the study will be obtained from the medical unit. The approach to selecting them will be done based on convenience sampling. The sampled population will then be randomly assigned to cohorts for follow-up. The inclusion criteria will include individuals aged between 20 and 50 years and willing to participate in the project. Similarly, the participants in the cohorts will be assessed to determine if they have the risk factors attributed to hypertension It will include the examination of risk factors such as unhealthy dietary habits, physical inactivity, diabetes, genetic predisposition, and smoking among others. The focus on the risk factors will aim at ensuring that the participants are only predisposed to psychological stress, which increases their risk of hypertension. Baseline data on socio-demographic characteristics, work-related factors, lifestyle or behavioral factors, body mass index, medical and family history, and perceived stress level will be obtained. The groups will differ based on their levels of psychological stress, which will act as the exposure in the investigation. Comparability should be maintained in prospective cohort studies to enable the determination of the relationship between exposure and outcomes or a disease (Crosswell & Lockwood, 2020). The developed criteria for diagnosing the participants with hypertension will be blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg or higher. The project interventions will include taking blood pressure measurements on specific developed dates on both extremities with the participants relaxed.

A perceived stress scale will be used in determining the level of stress exposure to the participants. The stress scale will be developed in a form of a questionnaire. The participants will be provided with the questionnaire for them to provide information that relates to their diverse health needs and experiences. The participants will be assigned to either intervention or control groups based on a developed stress threshold score. Those who score higher than the developed threshold will be assigned to the intervention group while those who score below the threshold score will be assigned to the control group. The participants in the intervention and control groups will be the same. The developed stress scale will focus on the stress-related factors in a healthcare practice setting. The stress scale should be developed to focus on the specific stress-related factors in a setting to facilitate the determination of the relationship between exposure and outcomes (Crosswell & Lockwood, 2020).

A digital blood pressure machine (sphygmomanometer) will be used in obtaining blood pressure among the participants. The blood pressure monitoring will be done every two months for the entire duration of the project. The blood pressure measurements will be taken from both arms with patients relaxed. The data for the project will be collected using a digital sphygmomanometer. The measurements will be done in the morning and evening during the period of data collection. The accuracy of the obtained data will be achieved by ensuring that the participants are evaluated to rule out any other risk factors associated with hypertension. The data will be entered into the participants’ records for analysis and comparison between the cohorts. Any participant that is found to have any risk factor associated with hypertension will be discontinued from the project.

The Intervention

The proposed intervention for healthcare personnel experiencing psychological distress in the medical unit entails blood pressure self-monitoring with a comprehensive education. Optimum blood pressure management is an effective way of preventing complications of hypertension such as stroke and cardiovascular disease. Self-monitoring and self-management of blood pressure are effective in reducing blood pressure in hypertensive patients. The effectiveness increases in patients that do not have multi-morbidity (Crosswell & Lockwood, 2020). Significant reductions in blood pressure are reported in cases where intensive co-interventions are used with self-monitoring and self-management of blood pressure.

Therefore, the participants in the project will be educated about the importance of self-monitoring and management of blood pressure. They will be encouraged to monitor their blood pressure daily and adopt interventions, including medication use, lifestyle, and behavioral modifications to promote the optimum reduction in blood pressure. They will also be educated on the importance of self-management of hypertension. The education will focus on aspects of hypertension management that include symptoms of complications associated with hypertension, the importance of medication adherence, lifestyle, and behavioral modifications (Iqbal & Jamal, 2021). Blood pressure will be taken after every two months for the six months from the participants for analysis and determination of intervention effectiveness.

Studies conducted in the past have shown the effectiveness of blood pressure self-monitoring and health education on hypertension outcomes. One of the studies is a randomized controlled study conducted by Persell et al. (2020). The study explored the effect of coaching application use to improve blood pressure monitoring among patients suffering from hypertension.  The analysis of data by the researchers demonstrated that the intervention led to statistically significant systolic blood pressure improvement among the participants in the intervention group compared to those in the control group. There was also an improvement in the self-confidence among the participants in the intervention group to engage in self-monitoring of blood pressure compared to those in the control group (Persell et al., 2020). Therefore, the results support blood pressure monitoring in improving outcomes in hypertension.

The other study that examined the effectiveness of the proposed intervention is the research by Khorsandi et al., (2017). The researchers examined the effectiveness of health education that incorporated the concepts of the health belief model in elderly patients suffering from hypertension. They adopted a quasi-experimental study that involved 100 participants. Data analysis demonstrated that considerable differences existed between the intervention and control groups. Accordingly, there was a significant reduction in the systolic blood pressure among the participants in the intervention group compared to those in the control group. There was also the increased utilization of lifestyle and behavioral interventions for managing hypertension among those in the intervention group compared to those in the control group (Khorsandi et al., 2017). Therefore, the findings support the use of interventions that enhance self-management of hypertension and modification of factors contributing to its development.

The findings in the study by Gamage et al. (2020) also demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed intervention. The researchers determined the effect of utilizing community health-worked led health education and monitoring in blood pressure control in patients affected by hypertension. The participants were identified using community surveys and enrolled in the study, which was a randomized controlled trial. The project intervention entailed the delivery of group-based education at two weeks intervals for three months. Health education focused on aspects that included lifestyle and behavioral modifications and blood pressure monitoring.  Data analysis demonstrated significant improvements in the blood pressure measurements among the participants in the intervention group compared to those in the control group. The participants in the intervention group had the highest improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to the control group (Gamage et al., 2020). Consequently, the findings support the intervention use in hypertension management.

A recent study conducted by Khanal et al. (2021) also demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed intervention. The researchers examined the effectiveness of health education and support programs on hypertension. The study was a randomized controlled study where the participants received health education for six months with those in the control group receiving the usual care. The results from data analysis demonstrated that the participants in the intervention group had improved controlled blood pressure compared to those in the control group. There was also improvement in the knowledge levels among the participants in the intervention group compared to those in the control group (Khanal et al., 2021). Therefore, the results from this study demonstrate the importance of health education in improving outcomes in patients suffering from hypertension.

Another study by Mini et al. (2022) also supports the use of the proposed intervention in patients with hypertension. The researchers examined the effectiveness of nurse-led educational interventions targeting patients suffering from hypertension. The study was a clustered randomized controlled trial involving 402 teachers with hypertension. The analysis of data obtained from the participants showed that the participants in the intervention group achieved hypertension control after three months compared to those in the control group. There was also a significant improvement in treatment adherence among the participants in the intervention group compared to the control group. Lastly, the participants in the intervention group reported improvements in systolic blood pressure compared to those in the control group.

The study by Yatim et al. (2018) also supports the use of the intervention in patients suffering from hypertension. The researchers examined the effectiveness of a group-based educational intervention on clinical and psychosocial outcomes in patients with hypertension. The study involved 45 participants where the educational interventions were offered for two months. The analysis of the obtained data by the end of the study period showed that the intervention improved hypertension-related aspects such as high-density lipoprotein, physical activity, and cholesterol among the participants. There was also increased adoption of positive self-care behaviors among the study participants. Consequently, the results support the utilization of health education interventions to enhance self-management and outcomes in patients with hypertension.

The Impact

As earlier indicated, hypertension is a condition with negative effects on the patients’ health, wellbeing, and quality of life. Hypertension contributes to adverse health outcomes that include heart disease, stroke, and mortality among the affected populations (Lee et al., 2018). It also increases the healthcare costs incurred by patients and the state in its management. Issues such as the increased need for funding hypertension programs and frequent hospitalizations of patients contribute to high costs incurred in treating hypertension. Therefore, addressing the issue using the proposed intervention is expected to result in some outcomes. One of the outcomes is improved self-monitoring and management of hypertension among the participants. The use of educational interventions to enhance the understanding of the participants about self-monitoring of blood pressure and lifestyle and behavioral modification will facilitate this outcome (Albus et al., 2019). The intervention is also expected to improve the perceived stress levels among the participants. The use of interventions such as health education is expected to increase the level of awareness among the participants on effective self-management and coping strategies needed for effective management of hypertension Gamage et al., 2020).

The intervention is also expected to enhance the level of awareness among the participants about the relationship between hypertension and psychological stress. The knowledge will facilitate the adoption of the desired lifestyle and behavioral modifications by the participants. It will also strengthen their adherence to the developed treatment plans. An improvement in the knowledge of the participants will enhance the sustainability of the adopted interventions for optimum treatment outcomes. Therefore, the educational sessions should impart them with adequate knowledge and skills needed for hypertension self-management. The last potential impact of the project is the reduction in the costs incurred by the participants in managing hypertension. The effective use of the project interventions is expected to promote optimum blood pressure control among the participants. As a result, costs incurred in emergency care visits, hospitalizations, and the purchase of medications are expected to reduce (Khanal et al., 2021). Overall, the intervention is expected to contribute to positive social development. The participants are expected to have a positive quality of life and productivity, hence, social development.

Evaluation

Evaluation is an important process in project implementation, as it provides insights into project effectiveness in achieving its objectives. The evaluation approach to the proposed project will incorporate outcome and process measures. Outcome measures will determine the effectiveness of the intervention in improving hypertension symptoms and preventing its development among nurses experiencing psychological stress. The outcome measures of focus in the project will include changes in the blood pressure, perceived quality of life, emergency department visits, costs incurred in the care process, and hospitalization rate. It will also include the satisfaction level of the participants with the project and consistency in the use of self-monitoring interventions for blood pressure (Albus et al., 2019). The outcome measures will also encompass the constancy of the use of the project interventions by the participants.

Process measures will also be used in evaluating the project. Process measures will examine the effectiveness of the interventions utilized in the implementation process. One of the process measures that would be used in project evaluation is the nature of stakeholder involvement. Active involvement of the stakeholders will be important for the realization of the desired outcomes. The participants and project implementation team will be surveyed to obtain information about their perceived level of participation in the project (Aiken et al., 2021). The other process measure will be resource utilization. Efficiency in resource utilization for optimum project outcomes will be considered a success in this project.

Conclusion

Hypertension is one of the crucial health problems that health workers experience in their lives. Work environmental factors play a critical role in predisposing them to the condition. The work environment for the healthcare providers is highly stressful, which predisposes them to health problems that include hypertension. Besides work conditions, other factors that include obesity, dietary behaviors, smoking, and alcohol consumption among others contribute to hypertension. Hypertension increases the risk of other health problems that include stroke, renal issues, and cardiovascular disease, which lower the patients’ quality of life. Hypertension also increases the costs incurred in seeking the needed care by the affected populations. Evidence-based interventions should be adopted to address hypertension. An example of such is the proposed intervention in this project that aims at encouraging self-monitoring of blood pressure and provision of health education to healthcare providers at risk of developing hypertension due to psychological stress. A prospective cohort study design will be used to investigate the relationship between exposure and outcomes. The proposed duration of the project is six months. The potential impacts of the project include the improvement in quality, safety, and efficiency of care that patients with hypertension receive. Outcome and process measures will be adopted for use in the evaluation of the project.

References

Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., Ball, J., Bruyneel, L., Rafferty, A. M., & Griffiths, P. (2021). Patient satisfaction with hospital care and nurses in England: an observational study. BMJ open, 8(1), e019189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019189

Albus, C., Waller, C., Fritzsche, K., Gunold, H., Haass, M., Hamann, B., Kindermann, I., Köllner, V., Leithäuser, B., Marx, N., Meesmann, M., Michal, M., Ronel, J., Scherer, M., Schrader, V., Schwaab, B., Weber, C. S., & Herrmann-Lingen, C. (2019). Significance of psychosocial factors in cardiology: update 2018: Position paper of the German Cardiac Society: Position paper of the German Cardiac Society. Clinical Research in Cardiology: Official Journal of the German Cardiac Society, 108(11), 1175–1196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-019-01488-w

Bryant, K. B., Sheppard, J. P., Ruiz‐Negrón, N., Kronish, I. M., Fontil, V., King, J. B., Pletcher, M. J., Bibbins‐Domingo, K., Moran, A. E., McManus, R. J., & Bellows, B. K. (2020). Impact of Self‐Monitoring of Blood Pressure on Processes of Hypertension Care and Long‐Term Blood Pressure Control. Journal of the American Heart Association, 9(15), e016174. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.120.016174

CDC. (2021, September 27). Facts About Hypertension | cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm

Gamage, D. G., Riddell, M. A., Joshi, R., Thankappan, K. R., Chow, C. K., Oldenburg, B., … & Thrift, A. G. (2020). Effectiveness of a scalable group-based education and monitoring program, delivered by health workers, to improve control of hypertension in rural India: A cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS medicine, 17(1), e1002997. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002997

George, T., Simon. (2021). Epidemiological Research Applications for Public Health Measurement and Intervention. IGI Global.

Iqbal, A. M., & Jamal, S. F. (2021). Essential Hypertension. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539859/

Khanal, M. K., Bhandari, P., Dhungana, R. R., Bhandari, P., Rawal, L. B., Gurung, Y., … & Courten, B. D. (2021). Effectiveness of community-based health education and home support program to reduce blood pressure among patients with uncontrolled hypertension in Nepal: A cluster-randomized trial. PloS one, 16(10), e0258406. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258406

Khorsandi, M., Fekrizadeh, Z., & Roozbahani, N. (2017). Investigation of the effect of education based on the health belief model on the adoption of hypertension-controlling behaviors in the elderly. Clinical interventions in aging, 12, 233. https://dx.doi.org/10.2147%2FCIA.S117142.

Kurtul, S., Ak, F. K., & Türk, M. (2020). The prevalence of hypertension and influencing factors among the employees of a university hospital. African Health Sciences, 20(4), 1725–1733.

Lee, M. R., Lim, Y. H., & Hong, Y. C. (2018). Causal association of body mass index with hypertension using a Mendelian randomization design. Medicine, 97(30). https://dx.doi.org/10.1097%2FMD.0000000000011252

Mini, G. K., Sathish, T., Sarma, P. S., & Thankappan, K. R. (2022). Effectiveness of a School‐Based Educational Intervention to Improve Hypertension Control Among Schoolteachers: A Cluster‐Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Heart Association, e023145. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.023145

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