Health Outcomes | Blood Pressure Evaluation Measures

Health outcomes measures for blood pressure screening and control^1-6

The effectiveness of blood pressure screening and control programs depends on the intensity of program effort and the use of multiple interventions. A rule of thumb is that the more programs implemented together as a package or campaign, the more successful the interventions will be.

Baseline

• Determine levels of employee blood pressure screening rates and self-reported high blood pressure from employee health survey, health risk appraisal, or biometric screening. Examples include: 
  • What percentage of employees have been screened by a clinician or in a worksite blood pressure screening program at least once in the previous 12 months
  • Note that generally worksite screening programs should not be used as a substitute for regular follow-up and treatment of employees with high blood pressure. These employees should be encouraged to obtain regular clinical follow-up care with their physician. Some worksites do provide case management for employees with high blood pressure by nurses or other qualified staff through an occupational health clinic
• Determine baseline percentage of employees with health behaviors or conditions where individuals have a higher risk associated with high blood pressure such as overweight, nutrition (a high sodium intake increases blood pressure in some people), heavy and regular use of alcohol, type 2 diabetes, or being physically inactive
• Determine levels of diagnostic and treatment procedures from health care and pharmaceutical claims data ◦Of those employee who were screened, what percentage of employees were referred for clinical diagnosis and treatment
  • How many cases of high blood pressure (i.e., hypertension) were identified
  • Frequency of complications of high blood pressure such as heart attacks, stroke, and kidney disease
• Determine employee knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about blood pressure screening and control 
  • Evaluate employees’ current knowledge of the health benefits of blood pressure screening and control
  • Measure employee’s knowledge of their risks for high blood pressure
  • Assess employee awareness of existing workplace blood pressure screening and control programs, policies and benefits
  • Assess employee awareness of behaviors that may reduce high blood pressure risk, such as reducing obesity or overweight, type 2 diabetes, nutrition (a high sodium intake increases blood pressure in some people), heavy and regular use of alcohol, or being physically inactive

Process

• Periodic repeats of baseline measures

Outcome

• Assess changes in the numbers of employees receiving blood pressure screening
• Assess changes in the percentage of employees who report high blood pressure levels
• Assess aggregated changes in the percentage of employees with health behaviors or conditions where individuals have a higher risk associated with high blood pressure such as overweight, type 2 diabetes, nutrition (a high sodium intake increases blood pressure in some people), heavy and regular use of alcohol, or being physically inactive 
  • The percent of employees identified through medical claims data as having high blood pressure will remain the same or increase, since a person who has been diagnosed with high blood pressure keeps that diagnosis permanently. However, over time medical claims data should show a decrease in the complications of high blood pressure (e.g., heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness)
• Determine change in levels of diagnostic and treatment procedures from health care and pharmaceutical data
• Assess changes in employee knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about blood pressure screening and control 
  • Evaluate changes in employee knowledge of the health benefits of screening and control for high blood pressure
  • Measure changes in employee’s knowledge of their risks for high blood pressure
  • Assess changes in employee awareness of existing workplace blood pressure screening and control programs, policies and benefits
  • Assess changes in employee awareness of behaviors that may reduce high blood pressure risk