BACKGROUND

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted health care, with particularly profound effects on persons with chronic conditions like hypertension.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we examined changes in the prevalence of blood pressure (BP) measurements by a healthcare professional among adults aged ≥ 18 years with hypertension before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (US).

METHODS

This study utilized the National Health Interview Survey data from April to December of the 2019 and 2021 modules of the survey. A total of 15,855 participants were included in the analytic sample. The prevalence of BP measurements taken by a health professional was calculated and the association between survey year and BP measurements was evaluated using adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Overall, the prevalence of BP measurements by a health professional among US adults with hypertension decreased from 95.9 % in the pre-pandemic period to 94.7 % in the pandemic period. Adults with hypertension were less likely (OR: 0.76, 95 % CI: 0.63-0.91) to report having had a BP measurement taken by a health professional during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic.

CONCLUSION

Self-measured BP monitoring with clinical support could ensure continuous and improved care of individuals with hypertension, especially when circumstances could interrupt healthcare access.