Locating Resources – Hypertension

Locating Resources – Hypertension

I have continued to work with D.K., a 42-year-old man diagnosed with hypertension, to help him manage and improve his current condition and life. His acknowledged support needs were identified as support in managing his blood pressure, managing both work- and family-related stress, and modifying his current lifestyle to help meet his physical and mental health goals. There are multiple community resources for hypertension that D.K. can utilize to help meet support needs. This article identifies and discusses three community or national resources on hypertension. It also identifies benefits provided by each resource, specific services offered by each resource, fee schedules, criteria for eligibility, application process, and availability of transportation. It further discusses the integration of these resources into a plan of care and the potential advantages and disadvantages for vulnerable populations in seeking these resources.

Community/National Resources

National Hypertension Control Initiative (NHCI) by the American Heart Association (AHA)

The National Hypertension Control Initiative (NHCI) is an evidence-based community program developed by the American Heart Association (AHA). It was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the existing inequities in access to heart health and hypertension care that the pandemic highlighted and amplified (American Heart Association, 2024). The NHCI is designed to help improve blood pressure outcomes and improve access to funding and other resources for managing high blood pressure, especially in under-resourced neighborhoods.

Benefits

There are various benefits that the NHCI can provide to a hypertension patient like D.K. For instance, the NHCI, a program designed by AHA, allows high blood pressure patients to have access to funding resources to cater for medications and other related expenses. The patient also has access to a wide range of information on hypertension, improving their heart health, and ways to improve the outcomes of their blood pressure for better living. Besides these, the patient is educated on ways to manage hypertension, keep track of their blood pressure, support lifestyle changes, and has a vast network of care providers at the national and local levels.

Services Provided

As per the goal of AHA of reducing high blood pressure at the local community level, the NHCI provides specific services, including the raising of awareness of high blood pressure, providing counseling and self-monitoring devices, educational resources on hypertension and heart-healthy living, online support group services, and improving the capacity of local systems to provide hypertension care services including timely diagnosis and treatment either through funding and training care providers.

Fee Schedules

A notable thing about the resources provided by the AHA through the NHCI is that they are freely available unless otherwise stated for specific programs and materials.

Eligibility criteria

Every individual who has been diagnosed with or is living with hypertension, unaware of the existence of the condition, is eligible for support from the program.

Application process

The services and support provided by the NHCI can be accessed online or at the local AHA offices regardless of whether registered as a community member.

Transportation

In terms of availability of transportation, the NHCI may not provide such support if needed.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the leading mental health organization in the United States. It works across the nation with its operations and services available at the local levels. The main goal of the NAMI is to create a community dedicated to providing mental health support to all Americans and ensuring a better life for those who are affected and impacted by mental health issues (Home: Name: National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d)

Benefits

The main benefit of the NAMI as a resource is that it provides an entire community of professionals and other people who have or are recovering from mental health issues.

Services Provided

It also provides open access to resources that focus on both mental and physical health. Specifically, NAMI provides services such as education highlighting the relationship between mental health and hypertension, support groups, and other information promoting stress management and coping skills.

Fee Schedules

A majority of the resources are free to access and do not require prior application unless for specific services and resources, as they are funded by donations from well-wishers and the community (Home: Nami: National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d)

Eligibility criteria

Individuals suffering from serious mental illnesses, including panic attacks, severe anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are eligible.

Application Process and Transportation

A majority of the services and resources provided by NAMI are available online. Therefore, the need for transportation is eliminated.

Local Hypertension and Mental Health Programs

There are a number of  hypertension and mental health support programs available that can be accessed locally.

Benefits

Local community resources such as the community gym, the mental health center, the social hall, and the local health department provide easy access to resources to help manage hypertension.

Services Provided

Such resources support local management, including screening and monitoring, physical activities and exercises, nutrition counseling, and other support services.

Fee Schedules

A majority of these resources are free unless otherwise stated or the services sought require a fee.

Eligibility criteria

All local residents are eligible to access the local resources.

Application Process

Registration is required for some of the services, including screening and exercise classes.

Transportation

Although not always, individuals who qualify for transportation assistance may be provided based on need.

Integration of Community Resources into a Plan of Care

There is sufficient evidence linking the utilization of local community resources and the improvement of hypertension management even in low-resource settings (Skeete et al., 2020). Community resources such as the NHCI by AHA, the NAMI, and those provided for by the local health department and the local community can be integrated into D.K.’s life to help meet his support needs. For instance, the resources provided by the American Heart Association’s NHCI can support the care plan by providing funding to support medication and other related care services. Both resources by NAMI and NHCI can help access mental health and hypertension information to help manage hypertension and stress. Additionally, the local community resources provide easy access to support groups and can be integrated into the care plan to support physical activity, mental health, and nutritional support.

Advantages and Disadvantages for Vulnerable Populations

Community resources for hypertension management have both advantages and disadvantages for vulnerable local populations. For instance, community resources improve the accessibility of hypertension-related healthcare services among vulnerable high-risk populations with notable health outcomes for such populations (Ferdinand et al., 2020). Such programs and resources provide financial and information support to vulnerable populations, helping improve self-management, hypertension and mental health outcomes, and the quality of life for such populations. Notably, the availability of such resources online provides easy access to information and eliminates costs related to transportation. However, a notable section of vulnerable populations do not have access to such resources due to the lack of required technologies or sufficient digital literacy to support access to such resources. This may create a disparity in the utilization of such resources as well as in health outcomes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the client’s support needs can be met by identifying the right community resources available locally and nationally. Such communities increase access to health information, provide education resources funding, and improve awareness of such resources. Integrating community resources in D.K.’s care plan can improve the effectiveness of the care plan with significant overall mental and physical health outcomes.

References

American Heart Association. (2024). NHCI National Hypertension Control Initiative – NHCI. AHA. https://nhci.heart.org/

Ferdinand, D. P., Nedunchezhian, S., & Ferdinand, K. C. (2020). Hypertension in African Americans: Advances in community outreach and public health approaches. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 63(1), 40–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PCAD.2019.12.005

Home: Nami: National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI. (n.d.). https://www.nami.org/Home

Skeete, J., Connell, K., Ordunez, P., & Dipette, D. J. (2020). Approaches to the management of hypertension in resource-limited settings: Strategies to overcome the hypertension crisis in the post-COVID era. Integrated Blood Pressure Control, 13, 125–133. https://doi.org/10.2147/

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Locating Resources
Study the resources in your community related to the illness group chosen in Week 1. In a Microsoft Word document of 4-5 pages formatted in APA style, describe the resources, including the following information. Use the headings in bold below.
Introduction & Conclusion are required.

•
Identify and discuss three community or national resources for your iness group, preferably in your community. Community/National Resources (Level 1 Heading – Centered & Bold).
• Include in your response the bullet points below, which is what the patient should know about the services. Essential Patient Information (Level 1 Heading-Centered & Bold)
These bullet points are Level 2 Headings (Flush Left & Bold)
。 Benefits
• Specific services they offer.
O
。 Fee schedules, if and when appropriate.
o Criteria for eligibility.
。 Application process.
。 Availability of transportation.
• Discuss the Integration of these resources into a plan of care. Integration of Resources – (Level 1 Heading-Centered & Bold)
• Discuss potential advantages and disadvantages for vulnerable populations in seeking these resources. Advantages and Disadvantages of Resources. (Level 1 Heading-Centered & Bold)