This study establishes preliminary validation of a measure that assesses hypertension self-care activities with clinical blood pressure (BP). The Hypertension Self-Care Activity Level Effects (H-SCALE) was administered to patients with hypertension to assess levels of self-care. Patients (n=154) were predominantly female (68.6%) and black (79.2%). Greater adherence to self-care was associated with lower systolic and diastolic BP for 5 of the 6 self-care behaviors. Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases among US adults, affecting one third of the adult population older than 20 years 1 and approximately 70% of adults older than 65 years.2 African Americans experience hypertension at rates of 43.0% for men and 45.7% for women, while rates for white men and women are 33.9% and 31.3%, respectively, and Mexican American men and women have prevalence rates of 27.8% and 28.9%, respectively.1 Despite some estimates that show modest declines in blood pressure (BP) prevalence, 3 clinicians will be actively engaged in chronic disease management with patients diagnosed with hypertension for the foreseeable future. While trends suggest increased awareness of hypertension among the population and higher treatment rates in the past decade, less than half of hypertensive adults have controlled hypertension regardless of race/ethnicity or sex.

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