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Self measurement of blood pressure: a community survey

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 21, pages 741–743 (2007)Cite this article

New technology means that self-measurement or testing of blood pressure (BP) is potentially available for many people but few data exist on how common it is. A community survey in Birmingham, UK in June 2005 (2931 responders; response rate 54%) of self-testing of BP showed that 9% of a randomly selected population sample had self-tested their own BP. Greater public awareness of BP through self-testing has the potential to improve the detection and treatment of BP but this will only be possible if professionals are aware of it.

The advent of accurate automated electric sphygmomanometers means that BP measurement is no longer uniquely the preserve of trained nursing or medical staff. BP measurement has penetrated the high street with pharmacies and other public places offering the service.1 It is likely that direct marketing of electronic sphygmomanometers to the public has resulted in significant numbers of people self testing BP in the community, but other than market research, we were unable to find data regarding how common self-monitoring is in the UK.

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Acknowledgements

This study was approved by Solihull LREC, 22 March 2005, Ref. 05/Q2706/13 R&D for Birmingham and Solihull PCT Consortium, Research Management and Governance Approval, 29 June 2005, Project No. 754. This work was funded by PBS Small Grant (C9783/A5037: self-test kits for cancer, prevalence of use, characteristics of users and implications of self-testing for health care services – a feasibility study). RM was funded by a National Primary Care Post Doc Award, AR by a NHS R&D Researcher Development Award and SW by a National Primary Care Clinical Scientist Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Primary Care and General Practice, Primary Care Clinical Sciences Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK

    R J McManus, A Ryan, S Greenfield, S Clifford & S Wilson

  2. School of Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, UK

    H M Pattison & J Marriott

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  1. R J McManus
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  2. A Ryan
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  3. S Greenfield
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  4. H M Pattison
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  5. S Clifford
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  6. J Marriott
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  7. S Wilson
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Correspondence to R J McManus.

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McManus, R., Ryan, A., Greenfield, S. et al. Self measurement of blood pressure: a community survey. J Hum Hypertens 21, 741–743 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1002217

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