Abstract
Risk factors for hypertension are becoming increasingly prevalent. Currently, there is no standardized community-based program for hypertension widely implemented in the Philippines. Health Education and Lifestyle Program for Hypertension is a ten-week health education program that aims to improve the blood pressure in hypertensive patients. This community-based intervention discusses five key health strategies like hypertension awareness, medication regimen, dietary regimen, healthy lifestyles, and stress management. This quasi-experimental study includes 128 hypertensive patients (64 in control and 64 in intervention groups). It utilized IBM SPSS 5.0 to statistically compute for mean, standard deviation, t-test independent samples and t-test paired sample. The study findings revealed that the post-systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the intervention group were 124.67 and 82.00 mmHg, respectively. Paired t-test yielded a significant difference in pre- and post-systolic (t=5.28, p=<.001) and pre- and post-diastolic (t=3.59, p=0.003) BP of the intervention group before and after the Health Education and Lifestyle Program. Lastly, t-test for independent samples revealed a statistically significant difference (t=2.32, p=0.028) in the post-diastolic blood pressure readings of control and intervention groups after the implementation of the program. The study implied that program for hypertension was effective in improving blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Thus, compliance with the medication regimen, dietary regimen, healthy lifestyles, and stress reduction strategies can help control blood pressure among hypertensive patients. A health education program that provides emphasis on patient's health and lifestyle behavior teaching is a successful intervention in reducing the blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by IASE.