Evaluation of a hypertension screening programme in Independence, Belize.
This study assesses the effectiveness of a hypertension-screening programme in Independence, Belize. Forty-nine of the 101 patients screened were found to have elevated blood pressure readings and were advised to seek medical care. Four months later, interviews with 35 of the 49 patients from the hypertensive group revealed that 85.7% of the patients had sought medical care. Women, elderly patients and patients with a previous history of hypertension were more likely than men, younger patients and those without a history of hypertension to seek follow-up medical care. The screening programme successfully directed a high proportion of patients with elevated blood pressure to seek appropriate medical care.
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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Chung
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Morley
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O'Neil
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Ken
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Morley
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001531:Belize / Q000453:epidemiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution