YMCA BLOOD PRESSURE

SELF MONITORING:
LOWERING CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE RISK IN ANN ARBOR, MI

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both Ann Arbor and the United States1. Risk
factors include age, race/ethnicity, and dietary/lifestyle factors such as smoking and physical activity2.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor
Race/Ethnicity Ann Arbor Michigan for cardiovascular disease2. The table to
the left displays the rates of high blood
pressure by race/ethnicity in Ann Arbor
White 21.4% 35.6% 3,4
and Michigan . As of 2015, in the city of
Ann Arbor:
23% of residents have high blood
African American 40.3% 43.8%
pressure
Black or African American residents
Asian 9.9% 13.0% have the highest rate of high blood
pressure, at 40.3%
the rates of high blood pressure in
All 23.1% 35.2% Ann Arbor are lower than the state of
Michigan across all race/ethnicities

The Program Outcomes

The YMCA Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring program
can help to reduce cardiovascular risk among adults
in Ann Arbor by providing resources 5 to allow them
to:
Take their blood pressure twice a month
Track their blood pressure over time
Recieve monthly consultations with YMCA
Heart Healthy Ambassadors
Recieve seminars on nutrition education
Prevent cardiovascular disease in Ann Arbor, MI
A meta-analysis of the results of the program at 18
different locations 6 found:
1/3 of participants moved down a blood
pressure category (from hypertensive to
prehypertensive or prehypertensive to
normotensive)
1/5 of participants sustained high-level
engagement with the program
The average decrease in systolic blood pressure
was 7.5 mmHg
The average decrease in diastolic blood pressure
was 3.3 mm Hg
References
(1) Ahmad, Farida B., and Robert N. Anderson. “The Leading Causes of Death in the US for 2020.” JAMA,
vol. 325, no. 18, May 2021, pp. 1829–30, https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.5469.
(2) Virani, Salim S., et al. “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2021 Update.” Circulation, vol. 143, no. 8,
Feb. 2021, pp. 254–743, https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000950.
(3) “2015 HIP Survey: Washtenaw Adults - Cardiovascular Health” Washtenaw County HIP Survey,
Washtenaw County Health Department,
https://healthsurveys.ewashtenaw.org/#/survey/question/HIP/2015/BldPress?category=Adult&gr.
(4) “2019-2021 Michigan BRFSS Race/Ethnicity Tables.” Michigan BRFSS, Michigan Department of Health
and Human Services, https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-
healthy/communicablediseases/epidemiology/chronicepi/bfrs/anntables/michigan-brfs-tables-by-race-
ethnicity.
(5) “Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring.” YMCA, YMCA, https://www.ymca.org/what-we-do/healthy-
living/fitness/self-monitoring.
(6) Anderson, Monique L., et al. “Outcomes of a Multi-Community Hypertension Implementation Study:
The American Heart Association’s Check. Change. Control. Program.” Journal of Clinical Hypertension, vol.
19, no. 5, May 2017, pp. 479–87, https://doi.org/10.1111/jch.12950.