Introduction
Hypertension (high blood pressure) problems are the most common health problems during pregnancy and are increasing in the United States. Women who have
hypertension during pregnancy are more at risk of heart attack, stroke, and pregnancy-related death. It is critical to tackle this problem with solutions that help control hypertension during pregnancy. Studies suggest that self-measured blood pressure monitoring (SMBP) is an effective, evidence-based tool to control blood pressure during pregnancy.
The overall goal of our research is to use a community model to put SMBP into clinics and community organizations to improve the control of hypertension in pregnancy in rural communities in Arkansas.
Research Aims
- Aim 1. Conduct formative research to identify facilitators and barriers to implementing SMBP in selected rural obstetric provider clinics in Arkansas.
- Aim 2. Engage stakeholders to identify implementation strategies needed to support uptake of SMBP in selected rural obstetric provider clinics in Arkansas.
- Aim 3. Conduct the SMBP using implementation strategies to support uptake in selected rural obstetric provider clinics and assess implementation outcomes.
- Aim 4. Identify barriers to implementation of SMBP and alternative strategies to mitigate barriers in selected rural obstetric provider clinics in Arkansas post-implementation.
- Aim 5. Disseminate SMBP’s approach, methods, tools, products, lessons learned and findings to rural obstetric providers, stakeholders, and community members.
- Aim 6. Translate SMBP to facilitate adoption and implementation of SMBP into rural obstetric provider clinics in Arkansas.