Reports from the Field
Hypertensive women don’t receive the care they need
The quality of care for women with high blood pressure falls considerably short of medical standards, according to a RAND report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.1 The study of 613 women enrolled in a West Coast managed care plan showed that the average woman receives less than two-thirds of the essential, scientifically validated care she needs.
Blood pressure screening occurred at rates exceeding 80%, but of the 234 women diagnosed as hypertensive (with an average blood pressure greater than 140/90 mm HG), most did not receive an adequate initial history, physician examination, or laboratory tests. Only 37% of those with blood pressure persistently exceeding 160/90 were advised to make changes in their therapy or lifestyles.
"Our results also showed a clear relationship between better care processes and better blood pressure control," says lead researcher Stephen M. Asch, MD. "While our study covered only women, there is no reason to suspect that care for men would show a significantly different pattern."
Reference
1. Asch S, Kerr E, Lapuerta P, Law A, et al. A new approach for measuring quality of care for women with hypertension. Arch Intern Med 2001. 161:1329-1335.
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