title: Knowledge and practice outcomes after home blood pressure measurement education programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the outcomes of three home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) education programs on adult knowledge and practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We chose a pretest/post-test design and randomly divided 95 adults into three groups: individual training (group A), group training (group B), and self-learning (group C), for education regarding HBPM in accordance with the Canadian Hypertension Education Program. Participants involved in groups A and B received interactive education led by a nurse. Participants in group C learned by themselves using an instruction booklet and a HBPM device lent to them for 7 days. Knowledge was assessed pretest and post-test by questionnaire. Skills were evaluated postintervention by direct observation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of the 60 participants indicated significant knowledge improvement. Pretest scores of 38 (group A), 54 (group B), and 45% (group C) rose significantly to 97, 99, and 90%, respectively (pretest vs. post-test; P<0.0001). Individual and group training sessions were significantly more effective compared with the self-learning program, which was confirmed by differences between groups in post-test practice. Assessment scores: 74 (group A), 79 (group B), and 53% (group C; group A vs. group C; P=0.001, group B vs. group C; P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that adults attending an individual or group training program for HBPM retained its theoretical and practical principles better than those engaged in self-learning. Their success may be attributed to interaction with the nurse.
authors.affiliation: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada. marie-eve.leblanc.1@ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Marie-Eve
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.forename: Lyne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cloutier
authors.forename: Eugenia V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Veiga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*