Men's Health Forum: It ain't strong to be silent. Blood pressure project targeting black African and Caribbean men (4 September 2020)

Summary

In a project led by the Race Equality Foundation, the Men’s Health Forum teamed up with Faith Action and Clinks to develop a community-centred programme to offer blood pressure testing and raise awareness amongst black African and Caribbean males.

The programme was piloted in barbershops, a bus depot and a local church in three London boroughs.

It demonstrated that offering blood pressure checks in community settings could help overcome the reluctance amongst black African and Caribbean men to have their blood pressure checked.

The report, following evaluation between February-March 2020 in the London boroughs of Southwark, Hackney and Brent, concluded: 'The community blood pressure programme was welcomed in all community settings. The pilots engaged a considerable number of men in an accessible environment that they were comfortable in. There was a willingness from community stakeholders for the programme to be implemented over a longer period of time, and healthcare providers may wish to consider the practicalities of delivering blood pressure testing in similar settings for specific target groups.'