Horizonte de Enfermeria · Aug 10, 2026
Efficacy of a multimodal intervention for hypertension control in older Afro-Ecuadorian adults: a quasi-experimental study
By Caicedo VEB, Mina JEC, Fuel M et al.
INTRODUCTION: Hypertension disproportionately affects populations of African descent. This study evaluated a multimodal educational intervention in older Afro-Ecuadorian adults with hypertension. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pre-post study with 70 older adults. An 11-month program was conducted with theoretical and practical workshops based on clinical guidelines. Lifestyle habits were assessed using a validated questionnaire and blood pressure measurements before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in salt consumption (women: from 59.6 % to 38.3 %; men: from 52.2 % to 30.4 %), healthy eating (women: from 21.3 % to 53.2 %; men: from 13.0 % to 34.8 %), physical activity (women: from 17.0 % to 46.8 %; men: from 21.7 % to 52.2 %), and checking nutrition labels (women: from 10.6 % to 59.6 %; men: from 8.7 % to 47.8 %). Systolic blood pressure decreased by 15.6 mmHg (95 % IC: -17.8 to -13.4) and diastolic blood pressure by 8.3 mmHg (95 % IC: -9.7 to -6.9). Weight loss was significant in women (17.0 %), but not in men. No changes were observed in tobacco or alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The multimodal educational intervention was associated with significant improvements in lifestyle habits and blood pressure control. The results support the implementation of culturally adapted programs in primary care to reduce cardiovascular health inequalities.