The National Healthy Heart Ambassador Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program (HHA-BPSM) is a four-month, evidence-based program focusing on home blood pressure monitoring and nutrition education. Healthy Heart Ambassadors (HHA) are trained facilitators for the HHA-BPSM. The program serves adults who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure or are currently taking antihypertensive medication to lower blood pressure. Over four months, HHAs provide education, encouragement, and support to participants, who will measure and track their blood pressure at home using a self-identified tracking tool.
Background: Beginning in 2021, the CDC’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, in collaboration with the Y-USA, provided training to State Health Departments to manage and administer the National HHA BPSM. The Virginia Department of Health’s Cardiovascular Health Team, within the Division of Prevention and Health Promotion in the Office of Family Health Services, received the training to manage and administer the Virginia HHA BPSM.
Program Information
About: Program facilitators/HHAs provide one-on-one office hours and offer group-based nutrition education for better blood pressure management. The training consists of asynchronous e-learning and a virtual/live assessment on the following key topics:
- Enrolling eligible participants
- Taking blood pressure
- Setting up office hours
- Coaching participants
- Facilitating nutrition seminars
Once enrolled, participants receive a complimentary blood pressure monitor and cuff. There are no fees associated with the Virginia HHA BPSM; however, some local organizations may choose to require a small fee to participate.
Participants meet briefly with an HHA Program Facilitator/Coach a minimum of twice-monthly (called Office Hours) to observe and document the participant taking their own blood pressure, and offer education, encouragement, and support on their blood pressure self-monitoring journey. Participants also learn about behaviors affecting their blood pressure and how to measure it using a blood pressure cuff and monitor. Participants bring a home tracking log to their meetings with their facilitator or coach. Between office hours, the facilitator/coach provides encouragement and support to the participant.
In addition to the twice-monthly Office Hours, participants must attend four nutrition sessions that support heart health. Local master trainers train program facilitators/coaches in the HHA BPSM program.
These nutrition sessions are:
- DASH Way of Eating
- Lowering Sodium Intake
- Shopping, Preparing, and Cooking Food
- Heart Healthy Eating
Participant Eligibility: Eligible participants must be 18 years of age or older and have been told they have/diagnosed with hypertension by a healthcare professional. Participants cannot have had a cardiac event (heart attack) in the past 12 months, have an irregular heartbeat, or have lymphedema.
Reporting Data to VDH: The VDH Cardiovascular Health Team administers the Virginia HHA BPSM Database. The Virginia HHA BPSM Database is a data collection instrument using REDCap, a secure online survey platform, that collects participant enrollment and program data submitted by HHA BPSM partners. The VDH Cardiovascular Team is able to provide de-identified, aggregate program data at the state, regional and local level.
