The effects of supervisor intervention on hypertensive employees' blood pressure in an industrial hypertension program

Abstract

Forty-six employees of an industrial bearing plant volunteered to participate in a workplace hypertension program. The purpose of this study was to lower hypertensive employees' blood pressure by having plant supervisors educate the employee in an eight-week hypertension program on his or her high blood pressure. This was done in an effort to aid employees in the management of their blood pressure, as well as to provide a source of emotional support within the plant.

Subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Supervisors of each hypertensive subject were given educational instruction on high blood pressure and variables related to hypertension. Supervisors also were given specific weekly assignments to convey to their subjects. Pretest and posttest measurements were made on blood pressure and knowledge concerning blood pressure. At the end of the eight-week intervention, a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure was seen in the experimental group with a 16 mm.Hg. drop (p < .05). There was no significant difference (p > .05) between the two groups on diastolic pressures, with both groups dropping to within the guidelines recommended by the American Heart Association (1987). Subjects in the experimental group scored higher on their knowledge of blood pressure than did subjects in the control group (p < .01). The results of this study indicate that a hypertensive educational intervention program may produce positive changes in employee blood pressure responses.