Abstract

Significant barriers remain in primary care practice that make hypertension control a difficult goal to achieve. Barriers to hypertension management are defined as any factor that limits the performance of a required behavior by patients or providers to achieve hypertension awareness, treatment, or follow-up care (Khatib et. al. 2014). Research identifies transportation, culture, community, and socioeconomic factors as the primary barriers to hypertension management in patients. Previous studies have shown a variety of methods and techniques used to identify barriers, however, there are restrictions with small sample sizes and limited information with regards to gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The main question we would like to address with our research is what the barriers are that prevent patients of the Omni Family Health Merced Clinic in Fresno County from managing their blood pressure. By May 2022, we aim to identify a minimum of 2 barriers preventing patients of this specific population from managing their blood pressure. This research has the potential to establish a framework for other public health studies in the future as well as providing information for current health care professionals to better manage their patients’ health. This research can also be extended to other areas of similar socioeconomic status and cultural backgrounds such as the rest of the San Joaquin Valley.