Effects of interventions on community awareness and treatment of hypertension: results of a WHO study.

Abstract A WHO-coordinated study of the community control of hypertension in six countries (Cuba, Finland, France, Italy, Mongolia and Portugal) has shown that a comprehensive approach clearly improves the care of hypertensives in various populations. Hypertension control programmes were individually designed in each country and were implemented in defined communities. The intervention strategies varied between countries, the major components being: establishment of hypertension clinics and hypertension registers, involvement of health care personnel, and health education of the entire community. As a result of this programme, the blood pressure in the age group 30-59 years decreased on average by 3/2 mmHg among men and by 6/3.5 mmHg among women; the mean blood pressure level decreased twice as much in hypertensive subjects as in the entire population in the intervention areas of the study.