Intergenerational Hypertension Prevention Education for Children and Family Members: A Longitudinal Assessment

Abstract

Introduction: Many adults are unaware of hypertension risks. Fortunately, hypertension is preventable with lifestyle modifications and regular blood pressure (BP) monitoring. Through reverse socialization (RS), children, acting as information agents, can potentially influence adults' long-term health behaviours.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the longitudinal effects of a RS-based intervention, with and without experiential component of performing home BP measurement, in enhancing hypertension awareness and motivating regular BP measurement among children and their adult family members (AFMs).

Methods: The intervention involves educating grade five children about hypertension and asking them to share this information with AFMs either using only information brochures (non-experiential intervention) or complemented with performing home BP measurement (experiential intervention). Hypertension knowledge and coping appraisals to perform regular BP measurement were assessed before, immediately post-program, and three-months post-program.

Results: Children's (n = 514) BP knowledge and confidence in sharing BP knowledge improved post-intervention and sustained longitudinally, but the effect was more pronounced among those in the experiential intervention. AFMs' (n = 251) self-efficacy to perform regular BP measurement and intention to prevent hypertension improved only for those in the experiential intervention. Improvement was sustained for self-efficacy only. AFMs' response cost reduced long-term for both intervention types. However, AFMs' hypertension knowledge and response efficacy were unchanged.

Conclusions: Even one-off short RS-based interventions with children can be sufficient to increase hypertension awareness for AFMs. An experiential component in similar family-targeted RS programs can capitalize on improvements in self-efficacy and intention to effect sustained behaviour change in hypertension preventive behaviours.

Keywords: Blood pressure measurement; Health promotion; Hypertension; Reverse socialization; School health.