title: Impact of an urban community hypertension screening program on participating high school students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypertension is increasingly being recognized as a major health problem in adolescents, particularly those of minority ethnicity. We assessed elevated blood pressure (BP) prevalence and predictors, as well as the impact of participating in a community hypertension screening program among high school students in an urban school district.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2008, 603 predominantly Hispanic students from nine Los Angeles high schools in predominantly Hispanic communities were recruited and trained to screen for high BP (> or = 140/90 mm Hg) in their communities. As part of the program, students measured one another's blood pressure and completed a pre- and post-assessment (2 weeks later), which measured hypertension risk factors, knowledge, interest in health careers, and empowerment. A multivariable analysis using logistic regression evaluated the association between several factors and presence of elevated BP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-two (14%) of students had BP readings in the hypertensive range, with 78 (95%) of whom had no prior diagnosis of hypertension. Being overweight (OR 2.85, 95% CI = 1.31-6.20) or obese (OR 8.90, 95% CI = 3.83-20.69) were the only factors independently associated with elevated BP. Significant increases were observed in student knowledge regarding hypertension and interest pursuing three of five health professions (P < .05), but no significant change in student empowerment was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One in six urban district high school students screened in this study had presence of elevated BP, the overwhelming majority of whom had no prior hypertension diagnosis. Program participation slightly boosted health career interest and hypertension knowledge. Involvement of urban high school students in self-screening hypertension programs may be of benefit.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, UCLA Medical Center, CA 90095, USA. Ovibes@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ovbiagele
authors.forename: Patti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Handschumacher
authors.forename: Marilou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yellin-Mednick
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beanes
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: Connie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016015:Logistic Models; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008913:Minority Groups; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012572:School Health Services; D013334:Students; D014505:Urban Population