Practice-based Trial of Blood Pressure Control in African Americans

We will test the effectiveness of a primary care practice-based comprehensive therapeutic lifestyle intervention, delivered through group-based counseling and motivational interviewing (MINT-TLC) in a two-arm, randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 200 low-income, poorly controlled hypertensive African-American patients. MINT is a directive, participant-centered, counseling approach for initiating and maintaining behavior change that has proven effective in improving adherence to various health behaviors. We hypothesize that among African Americans with poorly controlled hypertension (HTN), those randomized to TLC group, compared to those randomized to UC, will exhibit a greater reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP); greater levels of physical activity; percent change in weight; increased intake of fruits and vegetables; and reduced 24-hour urinary sodium excretion at 6 months.The primary outcome is within-patient change in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) from baseline to 6 months. The secondary outcomes are the levels of physical activity, percent change in weight, dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and BP control rates at 6 months. Blood pressure will be assessed with a well-validated automated digital BP monitor (BPTru), following American Heart Association guidelines. Therapeutic lifestyle behaviors will be assessed with validated self-report measures: Dietary intake will be assessed with the NCI's fruit/vegetable and fat brief dietary assessment questionnaires; and physical activity will be assessed with the Nurses Health Study and Health Professionals Study's physical activity questionnaire. Percent weight loss will be estimated from the difference in weight between baseline and 6 months, while 24-hour urinary sodium excretion will be used to estimate dietary sodium intake. Patients are categorized as having controlled BP if their average BP that fulfills the Seventh Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of Hypertension (JNC-7) criteria of SBP \< 130 and DBP \< 80 mmHg (patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease); or SBP \< 140 and DBP \< 90 mmHg (for all other patients). Regardless of group assignments, all outcomes data will be assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.