Blood Pressure Reduction in Black Barbershops
Trial question
What is the effect of BP intervention in black male patrons with uncontrolled hypertension, SBP ≥ 140 mmHg from black-owned barbershops (a nontraditional healthcare setting)?
Study design
Multi-center
Open label
RCT
Population
319 male patients.
Inclusion criteria: black male patrons with uncontrolled hypertension, SBP of ≥ 140 mmHg from black-owned barbershops, a nontraditional healthcare setting.
Key exclusion criteria: women, persons receiving dialysis or chemotherapy, an age < 35 years or > 79 years, plans to relocate or infrequent barbershop patronage.
Interventions
N=132 medication management in barbershops (by specialty-trained pharmacists).
N=171 active control (encouragement of lifestyle modification and doctor appointments by barbers).
Primary outcome
Reduction in mean systolic blood pressure at 6 months
27 mmHg
9.3 mmHg
27.0 mmHg
20.3 mmHg
13.5 mmHg
6.8 mmHg
0.0 mmHg
Medication management in
barbershops
Active
control
Significant
increase ▲
Significantly greater reduction in mean SBP at 6 months (27 mmHg vs. 9.3 mmHg; MD 17.7, 95% CI 14.7 to 28.4).
Secondary outcomes
Significant increase in the percentage of patients achieving BP < 130/80 mmHg (63.6% vs. 11.7%).
Safety outcomes
No significant difference in changes in medication side effects and no treatment-related serious adverse events were noted; transient AKI was reported in the intervention group.
Conclusion
In black male patrons with uncontrolled hypertension, SBP of ≥ 140 mmHg from black-owned barbershops, a nontraditional healthcare setting, medication management in barbershops were superior to active control with respect to reduction in mean SBP at 6 months.
Reference
Victor RG, Lynch K, Li N et al. A Cluster-Randomized Trial of Blood-Pressure Reduction in Black Barbershops. N Engl J Med. 2018 Apr 5;378(14):1291-1301.
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