IDENTIFYING PEOPLE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE!

A societal project for screening, with the aim of better controlling hypertension in Quebec, through multidisciplinary collaboration.

Target: $200,000 / year x 5 years

Why?

High blood pressure can damage important parts of our body, such as the brain, heart and kidneys. But we’re lucky, because there are treatments available to help control blood pressure and live better, longer lives. People often don’t feel when their blood pressure is too high. So the first thing to do is measure it. It is of utmost importance, as approximately one in four adults is unaware that they have high blood pressure.

What do we want to do?

We want to detect hypertension in people and tell them how dangerous it can be.

1 in 4 adults are hypertensive
Nearly half of people with hypertension are unaware that their blood pressure is too high

How are we going to make it happen?

We’ll form a team of volunteers to help screen for hypertension. We’ll work with Partenariat Santé, a group of student health volunteers. We’re going to train them with tools that SQHA has created. These volunteers will go into public places like community centers or shopping malls to measure people’s blood pressure. In addition, they will talk to people and tell them how to lower their blood pressure by changing their lifestyle habits, and refer them to resources that can help.

Who do we want to help?

Hypertension can affect anyone, whatever their age or situation. We’ll be holding meetings in different locations to include everyone, whatever their background or culture.

Our timeline?

For the first six months, we’ll be hiring someone to develop training tools with SQHA experts and organize outings with various partners. In the first year, the project will start in Quebec City and improve, before being rolled out in Rimouski, Sherbrooke, Montreal and Trois-Rivières in the second year, and then in other regions in subsequent years.

Frequency of outings?

We’re planning eight outings a year in each city once the project is well established.

Reach?

We expect to reach several tens of thousands of people. This means that even if someone can’t get their pressure checked on an outing, they can still receive information. What’s more, people who have had their pressure measured will tell their family and friends, so we’ll be reaching even more people.

Why support our project?

Our project is important because it shows our commitment to the health of the population, especially at a time when there are few medical personnel available. We’re counting on student volunteers to help citizens directly.

Sustainability?

We’ll be training new volunteers with the help of experienced volunteers to keep the project running over time.

Financial aspects?

Over 95% of the money will be dedicated directly to the proposed project, including

Project Manager ($90,000/year)
Foundation Management ($40,000/year)
Webmaster ($25,000/year)
Production of Training Materials ($15,000/year)
Tensiometers ($2,000/year)
Logistical Support, Equipment Rental, Space Rental… ($20,000/year)
Liability and Cyber Risk Insurance ($3,000/year)
Legal Notices ($5,000/year)

Even I, a hypertension specialist, didn’t know I was hypertensive.

Mohsen Agharazii – Nephrologist