Community Study to Reduce High Blood Pressure Through Text Messaging (REACH OUT)

REACH OUT: to Reduce High Blood Pressure

One of the most powerful predictors of stroke is hypertension, with estimates of approximately 33% of adults in the United States experiencing this condition. Hypertension is significantly more prevalent in African Americans compared to European Americans. Importantly, hypertension is a modifiable stroke risk factor.

This proposal will use a community-based participatory research approach to perform a randomized trial of a mobile phone text-messaging intervention to reduce high blood pressure in an urban African American community in Flint, Michigan.

This is a randomized controlled trial of text messaging and blood pressure self-monitoring to reduce blood pressure.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (>18 y/o) participants with BP ≥140/90 who have mobile phones with text-messaging capability.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adult who is illiterate, non-English speaking, pregnant, incarcerated/ institutionalized resident, or has a pre-existing condition that makes follow-up for 6 months unlikely.