High blood pressure among Black Adults. www.heart.org. (n.d.). https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/know-your-risk-factors-for-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-among-black-adults

Another aspect of systematic disparities that black men face at a higher rate is discriminatory employment and educational systems which result in higher levels of poverty that create financial strain, housing and food insecurity, strained relationships, and less access to good health insurance.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, November 22). Excess burden of poverty and hypertension, by race and ethnicity, on the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2023/23_0065.htm 

https://newsroom.heart.org/news/cardiovascular-health-risks-continue-to-grow-within-black-communities-action-needed

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11531251/

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)30050-1/fulltext

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

Grillo, A., Salvi, L., Coruzzi, P., Salvi, P., & Parati, G. (2019). Sodium Intake and Hypertension. Nutrients, 11(9), 1970. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11091970

Spence, D. J., & Rayner, B. L. (2018, June 25). Hypertension in blacks | hypertension. AHA Journals. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.11064

• Limited healthcare services are available in underserved communities without access to nearby clinics. Receiving care can be high-cost and hard to access due to a lack of insurance coverage, which prevents people with hypertension from receiving consistent and effective treatment. 

• Limited access to healthy food and has more access to fast food within the environment, which creates a poor diet that increases blood pressure due to high intake of sodium and saturated fats.

NIH ( 2024, May 16.) Adverse social determinants of health linked to treatment-resistant hypertension in Black Americans. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/adverse-social-determinants-health-linked-treatment-resistant-hypertension-black-americans

N.I.H ( 2024, May 16.) Adverse social determinants of health linked to treatment-resistant hypertension in Black Americans. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/adverse-social-determinants-health-linked-treatment-resistant-hypertension-black-americans

Cardiovascular Health Risks continue to grow within black communities, action needed. American Heart Association. (n.d.). https://newsroom.heart.org/news/cardiovascular-health-risks-continue-to-grow-within-black-communities-action-needed

Siddiqui, T. W., Siddiqui, R. W., Nishat, S. M. H., Alzaabi, A. A., Alzaabi, F. M., Al Tarawneh, D. J., Khan, A., Khan, M. A. M., & Siddiqui, S. W. (2024, October 3). Bridging the gap: Tackling racial and ethnic disparities in hypertension management. Cureus. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11531251/  https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)30050-1/fulltext

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, September 17). FASTSTATS - leading causes of death. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

High blood pressure among Black Adults. www.heart.org. (n.d.). https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/know-your-risk-factors-for-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-among-black-adults

Ferdinand, K. C., & Graham, R. M. (2018, December 17). Uncontrolled hypertension in Black men: Is cutting blood pressure in the barbershop a long-term solution? Circulation, 139(1). https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.038240

Ogunniyi, M. O., Commodore-Mensah, Y., & Ferdinand, K. C. (2021, December 14). Race, ethnicity, hypertension, and heart disease: JACC Focus Seminar 1/9. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 78(24), 2460–2470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.06.017

Abrahamowicz,͏͏ A.͏͏ A.,͏͏ Ebinger,͏͏ J.,͏͏ Whelton,͏͏ S.͏͏ P.,͏͏ Commodore-Mensah,͏͏ Y.,͏͏ &͏͏ Yang,͏͏ E.͏͏ (2023,͏͏ January͏͏ 9).͏͏ Racial͏͏ and͏͏ ethnic͏͏ disparities͏͏ in͏͏ hypertension:͏͏ Barriers͏͏ and͏͏ opportunities͏͏ to͏͏ improve͏͏ blood͏͏ pressure͏͏ control.͏͏ Current͏͏ Cardiology͏͏ Reports,͏͏ 25(1),͏͏ 17–27.͏͏ https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-022-01826-x

Ayanian, J. Z., Landon, B. E., Newhouse, J. P., & Zaslavsky, A. M. (2014). Racial and ethnic disparities among enrollees in Medicare advantage plans. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(24), 2288–2297. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmsa1407273

Cox, K. (2024, June 15). 6. Black Americans and mistrust of the U.S. Health Care System and Medical Research. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/06/15/black-americans-and-mistrust-of-the-u-s-health-care-system-and-medical-research/

Johnson, T. (2023, November). Stress and High Blood Pressure in Black people: What's the Link? Goodrx. https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/black-health/stress-and-blood-pressure

(Ferdinand, 2018; Ogunniyi, Commodore-Mensah, & Ferdinand, 2021)

(American͏͏ Heart͏͏ Association,͏͏ 2024;͏͏ Abrahamowicz͏͏ et͏͏ al.,͏͏ 2023)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9838393/

Ayanian, J. Z., Landon, B. E., Newhouse, J. P., & Zaslavsky, A. M. (2014). Racial and ethnic disparities among enrollees in Medicare advantage plans. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(24), 2288–2297. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmsa1407273

Cox, K. (2024, June 15). 6. Black Americans and mistrust of the U.S. Health Care System and Medical Research. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/06/15/black-americans-and-mistrust-of-the-u-s-health-care-system-and-medical-research/

2. Increase the number of Black men in San Francisco who believe managing their stress levels is important by 6 months (Attitude).

3. Increase in the # of Black men who know of the sodium-related health risks and can identify common high-sodium foods in everyday foods by 6 months (Knowledge).

4. Increase in the # of Black men in San Francisco who believe monitoring their blood pressure is vital by 6 months. (Attitude)

5. Increase in the # of Black men who know how to check their blood pressure and monitor it by 3 months. (Knowledge)

Outcome͏͏ 1:

Decreasing the number of hypertension cases in black men in San Francisco within 2 years

2. Increase͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ Black͏͏ and͏͏ African͏͏ American͏͏ men͏͏ in͏͏ San͏͏ Francisco͏͏ who͏͏ reduce͏͏ sodium͏͏ intake͏͏ by͏͏ preparing͏͏ low-sodium͏͏ meals͏͏ at͏͏ home͏͏ and͏͏ limiting͏͏ fast-food͏͏ consumption͏͏ within͏͏ 1͏͏ year.͏͏ (Behavior)

3. Increase͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ Black͏͏ and͏͏ African͏͏ American͏͏ men͏͏ in͏͏ San͏͏ Francisco͏͏ who͏͏ have͏͏ the͏͏ skills͏͏ to͏͏ properly͏͏ use͏͏ and͏͏ track͏͏ blood͏͏ pressure͏͏ readings͏͏ using͏͏ home͏͏ monitoring͏͏ devices͏͏ within͏͏ 1͏͏ year.͏͏ (Skills)

4. Increase͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ Black͏͏ and͏͏ African͏͏ American͏͏ men͏͏ in͏͏ San͏͏ Francisco͏͏ who͏͏ use͏͏ stress-management͏͏ techniques such͏͏ as͏͏ deep͏͏ breathing,͏͏ mindfulness,͏͏ or͏͏ physical͏͏ activity at͏͏ least͏͏ three͏͏ times͏͏ per͏͏ week͏͏ within͏͏ 1͏͏ year.͏͏ (Behavior)

5. Increase͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ Black͏͏ and͏͏ African͏͏ American͏͏ men͏͏ in͏͏ San͏͏ Francisco͏͏ who͏͏ schedule͏͏ and͏͏ complete͏͏ at͏͏ least͏͏ one͏͏ primary͏͏ care͏͏ visit͏͏ for͏͏ blood͏͏ pressure͏͏ evaluation͏͏ and͏͏ preventive͏͏ services͏͏ within͏͏ 1͏͏ year.͏͏ (Behavior)

6. Increase͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ Black͏͏ and͏͏ African͏͏ American͏͏ men͏͏ in͏͏ San͏͏ Francisco͏͏ who͏͏ follow͏͏ through͏͏ with͏͏ their͏͏ provider’s͏͏ blood͏͏ pressure͏͏ care͏͏ plan,͏͏ including͏͏ medication͏͏ adherence͏͏ and͏͏ one͏͏ follow-up͏͏ visit͏͏ within͏͏ 6͏͏ months͏͏ of͏͏ their͏͏ initial͏͏ appointment.͏͏ (Behavior/Skills)

Through͏͏ group͏͏ sessions,͏͏ we͏͏ aim͏͏ to͏͏ foster͏͏ social͏͏ support,͏͏ shared͏͏ learning,͏͏ and͏͏ collective͏͏ empowerment.͏͏ By͏͏ involving͏͏ local͏͏ pastors,͏͏ barbers,͏͏ coaches,͏͏ and͏͏ other͏͏ respected͏͏ figures,͏͏ the͏͏ program͏͏ engages͏͏ cultural͏͏ connectors͏͏ who͏͏ also͏͏ encourage͏͏ health͏͏ management.͏͏

Cooking͏͏ demonstrations͏͏ featuring͏͏ culturally͏͏ familiar͏͏ meals͏͏ allow͏͏ participants͏͏ to͏͏ celebrate͏͏ their͏͏ heritage͏͏ while͏͏ sharing͏͏ experiences͏͏ and͏͏ exploring͏͏ healthier͏͏ preparation͏͏ methods͏͏ together.͏͏ Finally,͏͏ distributing͏͏ pamphlets͏͏ throughout͏͏ the͏͏ city͏͏ will͏͏ raise͏͏ awareness͏͏ about͏͏ hypertension͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ community͏͏ and͏͏ create͏͏ opportunities͏͏ for͏͏ connection͏͏ and͏͏ community-driven͏͏ solutions.

• 10 community leaders will meet once a month for 1 hour for 4 months for training

• Training Approach

  • Lecture/Presentation

• Training Topics

  • The risks , disparities, and complications participants face, when someone is ignorant of their blood pressure levels.

  • The importance of following up with their medical care provider after receiving a high blood pressure/hypertension diagnosis

  • To be able to manage and take control of their blood pressure and their health.

  • We will be talking to and training local African American community leaders who our targeted population respect and feel comfortable with such as African American fraternity groups, worship leaders and community barbers.

  •  Train community leaders on how to use blood pressure cuffs, become informed of risk factors/information about hypertension & be able to educate the community

Black Men Heart Health Management Workshop

• 30 Strong Hearts participants will meet for 1 hour and 45 min. sessions once a month for 7 months

• Workshop Topics

  • Start with health management topics such as hypertension, blood pressure management, preventative health, importance of routine check up, healthy eating, stress management, how culture plays a role in their diet and health. Then will rotate with group B.

• Training approach

  • Our program will focus on black men in SF who struggle to manage their blood pressure or are at risk of having hypertension. We will input lectures to teach about preventative healthcare focused on managing blood pressure

  
  

Healthy Heart Cooking Workshop

• 30 Healthy Heart Cooking workshop participants will meet for 2 hours sessions once a month for the following 7 months.

• Training Topics

  • Cooking techniques, meal planning, understanding food labels, understanding sodium and its effect on hypertension, healthy habits. 

• Training Approach

  • Provide hands-on cooking demonstrations with instructors assisting, provide weekly meal preps examples, provide label reading practices and show how to read sodium labels, demonstrate sodium effects on blood pressure, and provide ways to track sodium intake for a healthier lifestyle. 

    
    

Information distribution for Heart Wise Community

• Heart Wise Community pamphlets will be distributed and conduct street outreach by 4 instructors of the program to residents of San Francisco to recruit Black men to attend heart health management. This will occur twice a month for 2 hours for 2 months

  • Pamphlet Content

    • How to sign up for the program, where the program will be located, what times the program will meet and how long the participants will be apart of the program. Also will include info graphics of how many black and African American men in San Francisco develop hypertension. 

  • Training Approach

    • Once the health ambassadors are hired and trained, they will pass them out in front of the building/ site location and will spread out a one-block radius from the site location and ask for permission to leave one pamphlet in the store so that customers can read while waiting or take a picture of the pamphlet 

Conduct Social Media Campaign

• Instructors of the Strong Hearts program will handle and develop social media posts

• Social Media Marketing campaign will run for 19 months

• Strong Hearts will provide updates and summaries of both past and incoming meetings as well as engaging in media advocacy to promote campaign messages

͏͏We’ll͏͏ hold͏͏ a͏͏ “Healthy͏͏ Heart͏͏ Celebration”͏͏ where͏͏ participants͏͏ can͏͏ come͏͏ together͏͏ to͏͏ share͏͏ their͏͏ stories,͏͏ cook͏͏ healthy͏͏ meals,͏͏ and͏͏ recognize͏͏ how͏͏ far͏͏ they’ve͏͏ come.͏͏ Family,͏͏ friends,͏͏ and͏͏ community͏͏ partners͏͏ will͏͏ be͏͏ invited͏͏ to͏͏ join.͏͏ It’s͏͏ a͏͏ way͏͏ to͏͏ show͏͏ appreciation͏͏ for͏͏ everyone’s͏͏ effort͏͏ and͏͏ to͏͏ remind͏͏ participants͏͏ that͏͏ taking͏͏ care͏͏ of͏͏ their͏͏ heart͏͏ health͏͏ is͏͏ something͏͏ to͏͏ be͏͏ proud͏͏ of.

• Certificates͏͏ and͏͏ Resource͏͏ Kits

͏͏Everyone͏͏ who͏͏ completes͏͏ the͏͏ program͏͏ will͏͏ receive͏͏ a͏͏ Certificate͏͏ of͏͏ Completion͏͏ and͏͏ a͏͏ Heart͏͏ Health͏͏ Resource͏͏ Kit.͏͏ The͏͏ kit͏͏ will͏͏ include͏͏ a͏͏ home͏͏ blood-pressure͏͏ monitor,͏͏ a͏͏ small͏͏ recipe͏͏ booklet͏͏ made͏͏ by͏͏ participants,͏͏ and͏͏ a͏͏ list͏͏ of͏͏ local͏͏ fitness͏͏ and͏͏ nutrition͏͏ resources.͏͏ The͏͏ goal͏͏ is͏͏ to͏͏ make͏͏ sure͏͏ everyone͏͏ leaves͏͏ with͏͏ something͏͏ useful͏͏ they͏͏ can͏͏ continue͏͏ to͏͏ apply͏͏ after͏͏ the͏͏ program͏͏ ends.

• Evaluation͏͏ and͏͏ Feedback

͏͏We’ll͏͏ collect͏͏ short͏͏ surveys͏͏ and͏͏ hold͏͏ group͏͏ discussions͏͏ to͏͏ hear͏͏ directly͏͏ from͏͏ participants͏͏ about͏͏ their͏͏ experience; what͏͏ worked,͏͏ what͏͏ didn’t,͏͏ and͏͏ what͏͏ changes͏͏ they’ve͏͏ noticed͏͏ in͏͏ their͏͏ health͏͏ or͏͏ routines.͏͏ We’ll͏͏ also͏͏ review͏͏ progress͏͏ logs͏͏ and͏͏ activity͏͏ data͏͏ to͏͏ get͏͏ a͏͏ clear͏͏ picture͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ program’s͏͏ impact.

• Final͏͏ Report͏͏ and͏͏ Sharing͏͏ Results

͏͏The͏͏ team͏͏ will͏͏ write͏͏ up͏͏ a͏͏ short͏͏ report͏͏ highlighting͏͏ the͏͏ key͏͏ results,͏͏ lessons͏͏ learned,͏͏ and͏͏ success͏͏ stories.͏͏ This͏͏ report͏͏ will͏͏ be͏͏ shared͏͏ with͏͏ funders͏͏ and͏͏ local͏͏ health͏͏ partners͏͏ to͏͏ help͏͏ support͏͏ future͏͏ programs͏͏ and͏͏ show͏͏ the͏͏ impact͏͏ this͏͏ one͏͏ made͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ community.