Telephone-based Mindfulness Training to Reduce Blood Pressure in Black Women With Hypertension in the Jackson Heart Study

Summary

High blood pressure is a powerful risk factor for heart disease. Black women are more likely to have high blood pressure than white women or Hispanic women. Even when they are aware they have high blood pressure, many people struggle to keep their blood pressure controlled. Research shows a connection between life stress and high blood pressure and heart disease outcomes. Mindfulness training programs can help people regulate their emotions and cope with stress. Research shows that mindfulness programs can also lower blood pressure. This study will compare two programs: MIND-BP, a Zoom-based mindfulness training group; and BOOST, a Zoom-based support group. The aims of the study are to test if the MIND-BP program leads to greater reductions in blood pressure, stress and depressive symptoms than the BOOST program in Black women with high blood pressure who are participating in the Jackson Heart Study. The primary outcome measure is 6-month change in systolic blood pressure. The secondary outcome measures are 6-month changes in perceived stress and depressive symptoms.

Eligibility

Age range

18–99 years

Sex

Female

Healthy volunteers

No

Interventions

• Behavioral
  MIND-BP

  8-week program delivered to small groups by a trained facilitator using Zoom/Webex. Each session is one hour long and includes a check-in period, teaching on the week's topic, group discussion, a skill-building exercise and home practice assignment. Participants receive a workbook of all session content, audio guides for home practice, and practice logs. At the start of the program, the stress response and its importance for hypertension and cardiovascular disease is discussed, and the rationale for the mindfulness and cognitive skills to be taught are explained. Weekly sessions focus on learning and practicing skills.

• Behavioral
  BOOST

  The BOOST program is designed to control for attention, credibility, and expectation of benefit. To parallel MIND-BP, the BOOST program will be delivered in 8 weekly group sessions via Zoom/Webex and led by a trained facilitator. Each weekly BOOST session will be 1 hour long and comprised of a check-in period, introduction of the week's topic, and group discussion. Didactic information, skill-building instruction and home practice are not included. Weekly BOOST session topics include: (1) personal experience of hypertension; (2) personal experience of stress; (3) personal experience of mood-related challenges; (4) personal experience of social relationships; (5) concerns related to hypertension treatment; (6) concerns about other health problems; (7) personal experience related to healthcare; and (8) review of the BOOST experience.

Location