Technology-based Intervention and Positive Psychological Training for Blood Pressure Control in African Americans

Summary

The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the effects of a theoretically-derived technology-based intervention (called TechSuPPorT) and its associated neurological mechanisms for hypertension self-management in African Americans.

The investigators will compare two intervention arms in this study, the Technology-Based Component Only arm (comparison group) and the TechSuPPorT arm (intervention group) in 20 African Americans with uncontrolled hypertension. We aim to:

1. Determine whether there are differences in blood pressure (BP), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and psychological health (affective well-being, depressive cognitions, anxiety) betweenTechSuPPorT and the Technology-based Component only arm.
2. Determine whether there are differences in self-management behaviors (medication adherence, diet, exercise, self-monitoring BP) between the two groups.
3. Examine whether self-efficacy, decision-making, motivation, patient activation, and perceived stress, and positive emotions mediate the relationship between the interventions and self-management behaviors.
4. Determine if social support, demographics (age, gender, education), discrimination, and technology utilization moderate self-management behaviors, BP, HRQoL, and psychological health.
5. Explore differences in neural processing (diffusion tensor imaging \[DTI\]/ task positive network \[TPN\] task-differentiation), and stress response (cortisol and inflammation panel) between the two groups.

Conditions

• Hypertension
• Self-management
• Technology

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Technology-based Component

This intervention is comprised of three technology components: a) six weekly web-based modules focused on improving knowledge and skills to manage hypertension; (b) personalized medication adherence support (SMS reminder messages, adherence feedback, health and lifestyle tips) through Medisafe app; and (c) self-monitoring blood pressure to support self-managing hypertension.

BEHAVIORAL

TechSupport

The TechSupport intervention is the combination of both an behavioral and emotional intervention. Technology-based Components: This intervention is comprised of three technology components: a) six weekly web-based modules focused on improving knowledge and skills to manage hypertension; (b) personalized medication adherence support (SMS reminder messages, adherence feedback, health and lifestyle tips) through Medisafe app; and (c) self-monitoring blood pressure to support self-managing hypertension. Positive Psychological Training (PPT): This intervention will include a structured online training and skill building for PPT accessible by smartphone on techniques to promote optimism, resilience, well-being, and self-confidence.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

  collaborator OTHER

• Case Western Reserve University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Carolyn H Still, PhD · University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

25 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-10-25

Primary Completion

2019-07-31

Completion

2019-07-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations