Bmc Fam Pract
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Multicenter Study
"I have to live like I'm old." Young adults' perspectives on managing hypertension: a multi-center qualitative study.
In the U.S., young adults (18-39 year-olds) have the lowest hypertension control rates among hypertensive adults. Understanding young adults' unique perceptions about hypertension and perceived barriers to hypertension control is critical to develop effective interventions for this population. This multi-center study explored young adults': 1) emotions and reactions after a hypertension diagnosis, 2) attitudes about managing hypertension (lifestyle changes, follow-up visits, antihypertensive medication use), 3) opinions about their healthcare system's hypertension education materials, and 4) opinions about using social media to manage hypertension. ⋯ Targeting interventions to young adults' unique needs is necessary to improve hypertension control and cardiovascular preventive healthcare delivery.