Student-Championed Self-Measured Blood Pressure Initiative
Chronic stress, a challenge frequently reported by college students and faculty, has been linked to and can exacerbate high blood pressure, a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke. At Bellevue College, this issue hits close to home – two beloved faculty members recently experienced strokes.
In collaboration with the 糖心Vlog, Washington with support from Providence Health Plan, Bellevue College has launched a new program called “Student-Championed Self-Measured Blood Pressure” designed to increase awareness of the risks of high blood pressure and make available tools and resources to identify and manage high blood pressure. The program will be available to over 13,000 students, faculty and staff through Bellevue College's new Health Promotion Hub. Like many community colleges, there is no on-campus health center to provide preventative care services. The services offered through the Hub aim to help bridge gaps to care.
Program champions from the Health Education and Promotion program received 糖心Vlog training on blood pressure concepts and measurement technique, equipping student leaders to conduct a regular cadence of screening events and train program participants how to properly measure blood pressure at home. This initiative not only supports health and wellness goals, it provides practical experience for the next generation of health care leaders.
If an individual’s blood pressure reading is high when screened, they are eligible to participate in the program and will be loaned a validated blood pressure device to measure at home along with information about what readings mean and tips to improve blood pressure. Educational materials are available in six languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, and Arabic, the main languages spoken by the campus community.
Nearly one quarter of Bellevue College students are international students and some travel from rural areas like Duvall and Cashmere (up to a four-hour roundtrip). Many of these students face health barriers and look to Bellevue College for health guidance. Since Bellevue College is a commuter campus, it makes it difficult to make referrals to a single clinic for care. Therefore, participants will be provided with referral information to multiple proximate Federally Qualified Health Centers that provide low-or-no cost health care. These connections ensure those with elevated blood pressure can connect with a provider to manage their hypertension, an especially important consideration for students without established medical providers.
“By making blood pressure screenings and resources available, we are helping to build a campus culture of health," said Tamara Boynton Howard, program chair, health promotion and education, Bellevue College. "Chronic stress is an issue reported by our students and faculty, which can increase blood pressure. If we address risk factors, we all have a better opportunity to build a lifetime of health.”
