Heart on hypertension: Improving hypertension control in the FQHC setting through a group visit program.

INTRODUCTION: Many solutions for increasing hypertension control rates have been proposed yet the social determinants of health create health disparities within the populations served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) that can complicate reaching these goals. This study observes impact of a group visit program on hypertension control within the patient population served by an FQHC. METHODS: Retrospective review and analysis of blood pressure data was performed for patients enrolled in the first 4 cohorts of the Heart on Hypertension Group Visit Program at the end of the program as well as 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the program ended. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Twenty-two patients participated in the program. Seventeen patients achieved the goal with a statistically significant mean change in blood pressure at p > 0.001. Patients who completed the program had a statistically significant mean change in blood pressure at p > 0.001 and those who discontinued prior to completing the program had a statistically significant mean change in blood pressure at p = 0.001 systolic and p = 0.002 diastolic. Changes in patient blood pressure were sustained for 3-months (78%), 6-months (83%), and 12-months (83%). IMPLICATIONS: Patients in the Heart on Hypertension program were successful in making significant changes in hypertension control in the FQHC setting. This method was useful in improving hypertension control metrics for patients facing increased influences by the Social Determinants of Health.

Perceptions and barriers to the annual influenza vaccine compared with the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine in an urban underserved population.

BACKGROUND: For a vaccine to be successful, communities must perceive it as important, safe, effective, and necessary. However, there are many barriers and hesitancies to vaccination. Underserved patient populations may face additional challenges related to access and cost. Because community pharmacists improve vaccine access and increase vaccination rates, it is beneficial for pharmacists to understand perceptions and barriers to vaccinations in their community to increase vaccine confidence. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess and compare barriers and perceptions of the annual influenza to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine for underserved patients of a charitable pharmacy. METHODS: Patients who qualified to receive medications from an outpatient charitable pharmacy took an electronic survey when receiving medications. The survey incorporated questions developed by the World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Vaccine Hesitancy on a 5-point Likert scale. Questions about the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines mirrored one another. Demographic data such as age, race, sex, and education level were also collected. RESULTS: Of the 189 patients surveyed at the charitable pharmacy, 71.7% were 55 years old and older and 58.9% were female. Of note, 78% and 77% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, respectively, were important for the health of others in their community. Adverse effects and the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine were noted to be statistically significantly more of a concern with the COVID-19 vaccine than that of the influenza vaccine (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ensuring equitable vaccine access, promoting the COVID-19 vaccine as free, and eliciting and addressing individual persons' concerns related to vaccine safety and adverse effects are all important ways pharmacists and other health care providers and community stakeholders can help promote vaccine confidence within the populations they serve.