Spirituality May Soothe Hypertension

Newswise, July 11, 2011 — Lisa Lewis, PhD, RN, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, has received funding from the Edna G. Kynett Memorial Foundation, Inc., for her proposal ‘Spiritual Vignettes to Increase Medication Adherence among Hypertensive Black Church Members.’

Dr. Lewis writes:

"Hypertension is a major public health problem for blacks who live in the United States and the rate of medication adherence is unacceptably low in blacks as compared to whites. The purpose of the randomized controlled trial is to test the effectiveness of a church-based intervention compared with standard patient education in increasing antihypertensive medication use in black church members diagnosed with hypertension."

"A growing body of literature shows that interventions developed and implemented from a strength-based approach may be more effective in producing health behavior change. The proposed church-based intervention capitalizes on the strengths within the black community."

Dr. Lewis explores behavioral research with a particular focus on investigating factors that motivate and sustain health behavior changes in minority populations. Among her current research interests are hypertension among African Americans, spirituality and its relationship to health, and the development of nurses and scholars who are able to provide culturally competent care for diverse populations.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the premier research institutions in nursing, producing new knowledge in geriatrics, pediatrics, oncology, quality-of-life choices, and other areas.

Researchers here consistently receive more research funding from the National Institutes of Health than any other private nursing school, and many Master's programs are ranked first in the country. This year, faculty, students, alumni, and staff celebrate 125 years of nursing at Penn.