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

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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.

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Funding

This research was funded by the Singapore Heart Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    May Oo Lwin, Shelly Malik & Janelle Shaina Ng

  2. Singapore Heart Foundation, Singapore, Singapore

    Vernon Beng Tat Kang

Authors
  1. May Oo Lwin
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  2. Shelly Malik
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  3. Janelle Shaina Ng
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  4. Vernon Beng Tat Kang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shelly Malik.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical statement

The questionnaire and methodology for this study was approved by Nanyang Technological University Research Ethics Committee, Reference number IRB-2014-01-038, dated May 20, 2014. Prior to data collection, informed consent was taken from both child and adult family member participants.

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Lwin, M.O., Malik, S., Ng, J.S. et al. Intergenerational Hypertension Prevention Education for Children and Family Members: A Longitudinal Assessment. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev 30, 135–143 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-023-00561-w

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